>> Whazz up! >> Oh! ♪♪ >> Whoo! >> Serra: Din, get out of there! Din, get out!
[theme music] >> Dana White: Hey, I’m UFC President, Dana White and we’re always looking for up and coming talent to sign. Back in the day, I used to scout the world looking for new talent, but I haven’t done that in years. Now I’m back on the road, I’m looking for fighters and I’m bringing two of my favorite people with me. Matt Serra won The Ultimate Fighter and he also became the welterweight champion of the world. He now trains some of the best fighters in the sport, out of his gym in Long Island, New York.
Din Thomas is a former UFC fighter and was on The Ultimate Fighter season 4 with Matt Serra. He’s beat some of the best guys in the sport: Serra, Guida, Pulver, and he’s a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and he’s a lot of fun to hang out with.
We’re checking out the best restaurants, the coolest places to hang out, having fun, and then going to see some fights. I’m looking for the next Ronda Rousey, the next Robbie Lawler, the next Conor McGregor. I’m looking for future champions and I’m willing to go to any show, anywhere in the world to find them.
On this episode, we’re returning to Houston, Texas. I’m going to visit my bull, “F-bomb.” Din Thomas is going to learn how to be a rodeo clown, and then we’re checking out some prospects at Fury Fighting Championships. So this is the first time we’ve actually returned to a city that we had already done a Looking For A Fight at. It’s Houston, Texas.
I’ve never been this nervous in my **** life. This is the place where we did the most dangerous thing that we’ve ever done on the show. We rode professional PBR bulls. After we left there, I got into it and I ended up buying a couple of bulls and I’m going back there now to visit my bull, “F-bomb.” I love this ****.
>> Din: Yeah, I like the country ****. I ain’t realized how much I would like, or how fun it is until you’re out there and you’re like, “Man, I like this ****.” >> I **** love– listen, I like to come and visit and then leave.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Want to go camping again? [laughing] >> You’re not sleeping outdoors on The Contender. [laughing] [banjo music] >> Dana: So Dennis Davis is my partner with the bull. He’s the trainer and he’s the one that takes it to all the competitions. >> I introduced myself, I’m Dennis Davis and we’re going to take a walk around here and check out F-bomb.
He’s already making some noise back there, I think he’s kind of waiting on you. You all want to go check him out? >> I love it. >> Dennis: Alright, let’s go. >> Let’s check out, F-bomb.
>> Dana: Hey, big boy.
>> Matt: Oh, that’s your bull? >> Dana: Yeah. What’s going on? >> Matt: Oh, did he miss his dada?
You going to give him a hug? Hey, F-bomb. Hi, F-bomb. Oh, you’re a nice bull. [F-bomb bellows] >> Dana: ****, what’s the matter with that guy?
>> Dennis: He’s making his presence known. >> Dana: He’s pissed. >> You think you can ride this thing again? >> No, that was like five years ago. I feel like I’m **** 15 years older than I was five years ago.
>> I’ll tell you right now, I wouldn’t do it again.
I wouldn’t do it again. No, no, no. >> You think about that day, we **** got right up here and jumped on this ****. >> We did it.
We did that thing. >> Dana: What’s crazy is when you get in there and you actually slide your legs down and he starts smashing your legs into the **** sides of the thing. You’re actually like, “Alright, let’s get this over with.” By far the craziest thing I’ve ever done.
>> It’s like, the feeling of going into a fight, knowing you’re going to get touched.
Like, you know something is going to happen. Dude, that was insane. Yours scared the heck out of me. >> Dana: Go. >> Man: Alright, let’s go he said.
>> Matt: Yeah, Dana! Yeah, Dana! Yeah, Dana! Watch him! >> Man: Oh, my gosh!
>> Matt: You watched when it came down by you– dude, that was close. That was close. >> Well if I didn’t skid when I got thrown off, he would have landed on me. >> Closer, yeah. >> Dana and Matt went bull riding the last time they were in Houston.
I actually didn’t make that trip. >> You know, Din wasn’t a part of the show back then, so now Din’s part of the crew, he’s got to earn his stripes.
>> They really wanted me to get in there with a bull. They wanted me to be a rodeo clown. I didn’t know what a rodeo clown was.
I thought a rodeo clown just dressed up, painted his face, told jokes, juggled, made balloon animals for kids in the audience. That’s what I thought a rodeo clown did! I said, “I can do this! This is not a problem!” They fight the bull and protect the rider when they fall off.
I wish somebody told me that before I signed up for this. >> Matt: They saying a prayer. >> Lord, thank you so much. Amen. >> Don’t just jump over the side when it comes out, Din Thomas.
That defeats the purpose. >> You never want to run from him. >> Yeah, yeah. You got to juke him. >> Yeah, so when they’re coming to you, you beat them to their shoulder and you just make a round.
We call them rounds. >> Okay. >> And you just make circles. You just keep him off of you. >> Okay.
>> So the first bull that came up was Dana’s bull, F-bomb. >> Dennis was showing me how to get him into the shoot and then he showed me how to drop the rope down and actually bring it up and tie it and that rope is what makes the bull buck. Listen, riding a bull is the scariest thing that you will ever do, but being a rodeo clown is a very, very dangerous job.
[gate clanks open] >> Dana: Holy ****. >> Man: There you go, Brian.
>> Dana: He went right– I saw– [laughing] >> Man: Go get it! [laughing] >> He was running for Din. >> Good job, Din. >> It was like an exhilarating feeling to get closer to the danger. Then I saw they’re coming at me and I got out of the way and I was like, “you know what?
” And then it just stopped. Then the bull just stopped and chilled out. So I was like, “That’s it? This is nothing.” Let’s bring the next one out.
>> The second bull was this all-white bull. His name was El Bolito and he was **** nuts. >> Yo, Din. >> Din: Oh, that’s the big one. >> Dana: ****.
From the minute he walked out of the chute, he was smashing his horns into the gates. That’s how they break their **** horns off right there. >> This bull was just angry. >> While it was in the chute it liked bucked. [metal clanks] >> Holy **** ****.
>> Look at that ****. >> Din: And I was like, “Oh, no.” >> I think smoke was coming out of the **** nose. It was just ready to, [snarling]. >> So I was just preparing, getting into my stance.
You know and again, you get that feeling, like it’s almost like a fight. Like when you’re standing in the Octagon looking across at your opponent– like that’s the feeling that you get for that moment.
[dramatic instrumental music] [gate clanks open] >> Matt: Whoo! Whoo! Oh, ****!
Get in there, Din Thomas! Get the **** out of there! >> Man: Grab him on the ear! >> Matt: Din, get the **** out! Din, get the **** out of there, man!
Din, get out of there, ****! >> Man: Run, Din! Din, run, don’t stop! >> Matt: Oh, ****! Din, go!
>> Holy ****. That was the bull right there. [laughing] >> Dude. >> That **** almost hit me in the face. That **** got that close to me.
>> When he came out of the gates, he came out so fast, that he kicked dirt up into my chest, I felt like I got hit with a rock. >> I got lucky. >> Dana: Wait til you see the **** replay of that. >> I thought this thing was going to kick him through the fence. >> Dana: The bull ends up right over in Din’s area and I think Din froze.
>> Din: I saw my life flash before my eyes that moment. Then I can hear Matt on the side like, “Din Thomas, get out of there! Get out of there! >> Matt: Din, get the **** out of there, man! And I might had let out a scream or something.
>> Din: That made me kind of nervous, because I was thinking like, “If Matt Serra is concerned for my life, this must be serious.” >> He turned into like his mother when this happened. Matt started freaking out. He was telling Din, “Get out of there! Get out of there!
Jump over the fence.” He was telling Din to run and get out of there. >> I got worried for my friend, to be honest with you, because I was worried for his life. It was **** scary to be honest. >> Matt was genuinely nervous and worried about Din Thomas.
Din Thomas does everything. From drinking the snake tequila, to eating the hottest hot sauce on the wings, to rodeo clown, jumping off cliffs when he can’t swim. I mean, Din Thomas does it all. >> I’ll never eat a hot dog again. >> Dana: This weekend I had a lot of stuff going on with the pay-per-view and it’s our second show back with a live crowd and um some other things I was working on, so Matt and Din were out doing all the fun stuff.
[instrumental music] >> Hey, how are you doing? >> How are you, man? I’m Din. >> Good. Ben.
>> Matt, nice to meet you. >> How you been? Pleasure. >> Texas is always known for its food– meat in particular. >> Oh, I got the meat!
Anybody order the raw meat! So we went to B&B Butchers. You know, we just got to cut meat, cook meat, play with meat, eat meat. It was a meat party. >> When you age meat, we control the temperature and the humidity.
So we keep it around 38 degrees and humidity around 75 percent. >> Okay. >> Din: Oh, it’s cold. >> So you smell that? >> Matt: Yeah!
>> That’s aged meat. When you can feel, when it’s older, the harder it gets on the outside.
So if you feel like the new guys…
>> Don’t touch the meat, what’s the matter with you? [laughing] >> … don’t worry, he’s going to cut it all off.
How about we cut rib-eyes– that’s the most popular and maybe a long-bone. >> Look at that. Ahh, it’s like out of the Flintstones! >> This the long-bone? >> Ben: Yeah.
>> Got to turn over **** Fred’s car! I’m not a big kitchen guy at all, I’m not a guy that’s good in the kitchen. I don’t really know how to cook anything. My wife does all the cooking, even when it comes down to barbecuing, my wife works the barbecue. >> See that?
I’m a natural. Can I get an application? >> I’m not really good with that to be honest with you. >> You want to take a thin layer. >> Okay.
>> So, there you go. [saw buzzing] >> Alright? >> Ah, geez, you’re so comfortable around the blade.
>> Yeah. >> Matt Serra, I think he got a problem.
>> Oh, look at that! Okay. There’s a little **** meat slime on me. [laughing] >> Din likes Red Lobster? >> Ben: Do you?
>> He can’t focus for nothing. Like I can’t do anything around Matt, because he makes me laugh. >> And…
[makes gibberish sounds]. Go ahead. >> Go ahead. >> Go ahead! >> How are we going to do it the same time?
>> Okay.
Ah! Din Thomas! >> It’s amazing how he’s a grown adult and he made it through life. Look at that ****!
You think this is my first rodeo in a kitchen! It was almost like if somebody walked into my academy with their shoes on the mat after walking outside. It’s disrespectful, so I had to just, you know, I had to take it down a notch.
Hey! Hey!
You know, I can’t be flinging the meat around, that’s not– that’s not a way an adult should behave. >> Man: Trae That Truth! >> What, up. What up, man. >> So Trae Tha Truth, is a rapper from Houston and this guy is incredibly well-known and well respected.
Him and Derrick Lewis, when there are floods, they own these vehicles where they go out and actually rescue people in the floods. >> So anytime they see a truck, they know we are coming to save people. The name of my team is, “Relief Gang.” >> Matt: Oh, that’s nice.
Alright, somebody help me down.
[laughing] >> Dana: He’s one of the nicest human beings you’ll ever meet and he created this company that makes these bump boxes. They’re basically like the old boomboxes from the 80’s, but way better. >> Welcome to my store, man. >> This is beautiful, man. >> This is awesome, man.
>> This is Bumpboxx, Houston, man. >> Then he gave me a Bumpboxx. >> Oh! >> Radio Raheem! >> He’s back.
>> I’m back. >> And we were doing something for Howler Head whiskey, at Little Woodrows in Houston and he showed up with the Bumpboxx’s and he was just giving them out for free to UFC fans. >> **** bad-ass, dude. >> And then he took us out and we got the ride in one of the slabs. [instrumental music] >> Matt: I didn’t even know what that was before, but it was like this car with like these rims that come out, like almost something that comes out of Mad Max.
And then the trunk opens up and it’s like a little chariot in the back. So me and Din Thomas were hanging out in the back. Oh! I’d never rode in a trunk before, you know? >> Got a chance to bend them corners.
>> It’s called, swinging. You weave left and right, in and out of traffic. You know what I’m saying? >> Oh! >> It’s every kid’s dream.
Every young person’s dream, really– every entertainer’s dream to have a slab. [instrumental music] >> We met Johnny Dang and all I got to say is, “Whazz up!” >> That dude is the man. He’s like a movie character. >> Hey, Johnny!
>> Look at this man. >> How you doing? >> I like this. >> Real. >> Is that heavy?
Is that heavy? >> Not really. >> Is that you? >> Yeah, that’s me. You see, I got it real too.
>> That is so cool. >> That’s how you know you made it. >> I can make you one of this, just myself with a grill. Big piece. >> Is that ours?
>> Yes. >> When I was high school, I had a grill. Just the bottom, I just had like three of them on the bottom. Two or three like on the bottom and it was nothing, but now I got an official grill. [growls] I’ll bite your face off.
[growls] >> I look just like Lil Wayne. A little bit. Lil Wayne, the resemblance. Whazz up! I don’t know.
Could that make the cut? Look better with an angry face, than a happy face. Like this. It looks weird. >> Yeah.
>> When I’m like this… [growls and snarls]. Like somebody bumps into me on the subway.
[Growls] [laughing] [growls] >> Oh, I’m sorry. Hey, look, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. >> H-Town. >> H-Town. >> Yeah, baby!
Yeah, Johnny! >> So we about to go on our next adventure. I haven’t eaten anything all day and I’m starving. It’s a good thing Devour sent me some mac n’ cheese and I’m ready to bust one of them things wide open. Oh!
Look at this. And the shark on there, because I’m a shark.
I’m about to tear this thing up. [door shuts and microwave beeps] [beeps] >> Oh, my gosh, this smell delicious. That was absolutely amazing.
That hit the spot. Now I got to hit the road. Thank you, Devour for the Mac n’ cheese. That was fantastic! So the fights in Houston that we went to watch, were called Fury Fighting Championship.
Texas has become a hot bed for mma and there’s a lot of talented guys here. >> Matt: The fights were well matched, really entertaining fights and I’ll tell you, we found a couple of really good guys. >> So The Black Best, Derrick Lewis showed up at the fights and I had him come over and sit with me. You know, he knows a lot of these local fighters. >> What’s up, man?
You’re looking thin, dude. Doing good. You looking to shave, right? You remember when I was walking around your weight, no? I’m laying off the gluten.
I love both his fighting and his after fight interviews. I love his Instagram. I love everything Derrick Lewis. Who we looking at, Derrick Lewis? >> Lewis: He’s good.
>> Yeah? This one. >> This guy. My old training partner. >> What’s up?
>> Beneil Dariush! >> And Beneil Dariush showed up. He had a fighter on the card. >> He’s fresh off his victory over Tony Ferguson. You know he was here to support one of the fighters.
>> That’s Beneil’s guy, in the blue corner? >> Yeah.
Nikolay. >> Looks kind of like KJ Noons. >> There was a Russian kid named Nikolay who fought.
31 years old, he looked good against his opponent, but I’m not really looking for 31 year olds to come into the UFC. >> He’s not getting him down. >> Personally I had my best fights in my 30’s, so– I was in The Ultimate Fighter at 31. Title at 32. >> Dana: Oh, ****!
[fans cheering] >> That might have been a bit quick. >> That was a bad stoppage. >> And to me I felt like it was a little early. I think that you should–especially the opponent was a champ, you need to give him a little bit of time to work.
>> Ring announcer: Nikolay Veretennikov!
♪♪ >> How’s everything going for you personally, everything good? >> Oh, yeah it’s good. >> You got a **** great house, great car. You got everything going on right now. >> I had another grand opening, another one of my salons yesterday.
>> Oh, really? >> Yeah. >> How many you got? >> We have two. >> Very cool.
♪♪ Martinez versus Johnson for the bantamweight championship, both of these guys have fought on the Contender Series. >> I’ll tell you, this Leomana, I know he fought once on the Contenders and he had a hard time. >> Dana: From what I hear, he took that fight on the Contender Series on very short notice. >> When you go to these shows, you can always tell that there is somebody special on the show. You can see them in the way they carry themselves and the presence they bring.
Leomana Martinez has that.
♪♪ >> Matt: Oh, here we go. [bell ring dings] >> That dude is long. ♪♪ [crowd cheers] >> You **** called that one. >> Din: And when Leomana got into the cage, he did his damn thing, against a very tough guy who a lot of people were high on, who also looked good.
>> Great fight. >> Leomana looked phenomenal and not to mention, Dana heard some hype too about his opponent. >> Ed Soares just hit me up. This dude, Jose Johnson who is up now, got KO of the year on Fight Pass last year on the LFA. He’s very good.
That’s the dude that just got knocked out. >> Last year I got the chance to perform in front of Dana and you know, I failed. Since that day I promised myself if I ever got the opportunity to perform in front of you again, I wouldn’t fail.
I want to be the best and I know to be the best fighter, you got to fight in the best promotion and that’s for the UFC, baby. I’m ready, Dana.
>> Leomana Martinez, everybody! >> We absolutely have to give him another shot in the UFC. I’m going to go pick some guys if you want to come. Yeah? I’m not really looking for 31 year olds to come into the UFC and when I was leaving, Beneil Dariush walked up to me and said, “Hey, I want to introduce you to Nikolay.
” So, you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to bring him in the Contender Series. Alright? So, I’ll give you a shot in the Contender Series.
>> Of course.
>> Fight your way out of that, you’re in the UFC. >> Thank you so much. Yes, sir. >> Alright? >> Yep.
>> And he’ll go head-to-head in the Contender Series, against another bad-ass, up and coming guy and we’ll see if he can fight his way into the UFC. >> You really lost some weight, you trying to fight again? >> See this? He’s telling me I lost weight, you know? I can be a little butterball sometimes.
>> When heavyweights tell you, you look like you lost weight, it don’t mean anything. [laughing] >> There aren’t too many people that get second chances this fast in the UFC like this kid is going to get. >> Yeah, good for him, man. >> That’s awesome. >> That’s awesome.
>> And when Dana tells them that they made it, congratulations, you’re in the UFC and it just makes everything so special. >> Alright, let’s do it. >> Oh, this is the good part, Derrick Lewis.
>> What’s up, guys? So you guys know, you’ve been around long enough, not many people get a second chance to get right back into the UFC, but you’re a no brainer, kid.
So welcome back to the UFC. [cheering] >> There you go. >> I appreciate it. It’s an honor. >> Welcome back, kid.
Alright. Impressive, congratulations. >> I’ll tell you, I couldn’t be more impressed. He’s a young kid. I’ll tell you, man, the sky is the limit.
>> I’m looking for these young up and coming guys that I think that some day could be world champions. >> That is literally–well besides me goofing on Din Thomas, that is literally what the show is all about. Oh, that was fun. We’re all in agreement, this show changes lives. >> Dana: Houston is an awesome city, it was good to be back there.
I was actually blown away by the Fury FC fights. Great competition, great card, and we ended up having a really good time.
>> Whoo!.
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