Full transcript
0:00But without further ado, I did want to
0:01speak to uh the man that we were just
0:03speaking about, the pride of France who
0:05was so very successful and what a debut
0:08it was on Saturday at the AO Arena. The
0:10former KSW double champion, now UFC vet,
0:13now 1 and0 in the UFC, Mr. Saladin
0:15Palnas is here to talk about what
0:17transpired on Saturday. Uh Bare Saladin
0:20Feliciti Tacion, congratulations on the
0:23win. Thank you so much for coming on.
0:25Appreciate it.
0:26>> Thank you. Thank you so much. And and by
0:29the way, Saladine, I have to say, I know
0:31we have
0:36translator Taio, I believe his name is.
0:38Uh but I heard you I heard you speaking
0:39English, so maybe you don't need the
0:41help anymore. Uh we do the the interview
0:43in English now on Ang.
0:46>> Uh I'm working to to do English, you
0:48know, and prepared for my future.
0:51>> Okay. I like it because I saw a little
0:52bit of a taste on Saturday. So this is
0:54good. Very smart. Um, Saladine, can I
0:56ask you? We've been talking so long
0:58about what it would be like for you to
1:00fight in the UFC, what the scene would
1:02be like to see how it all came together
1:04in France, in Paris, main event, first
1:07round finish. Does this feel like a
1:09dream to you?
1:17>> Yes. Yes.
1:34It's a dream for him. It was a real
1:36dream and he won with a a big
1:40at his home in Paris. So, it's it was
1:42incredible and he could not dream better
1:45than this.
1:46>> How much has life changed for you since
1:48Saturday? Do you still feel like you're
1:49on a high? Do you feel like you're
1:50getting recognized? So many people
1:52talking about you. What is life like now
1:54after your debut?
2:18Yes. Uh some things change more people
2:22recognize him in the in the street but
2:24the most important thing for him is to
2:27to to not change his behavior in the
2:30life and he will not change and he stay
2:32focused on on the next fight. That's the
2:34most important thing for him. Um, when I
2:36was speaking to your your longtime coach
2:38and and and and manager Stefan about uh
2:41coming on the show, he said, "Oh, you
2:42have training?" And I was like,
2:43"Training already? Uh, you just fought
2:45on Saturday and then I saw a video of
2:46you at the gym yesterday and so are you
2:48back to training already?"
3:03He say yes he he always like to train
3:07and uh he he has no damage from the from
3:10the the fight Saturday night and right
3:13now we are in Madrid and we just uh we
3:16just go out from the gym so yeah and
3:18then we have the interview but he he
3:21always wants to to to train.
3:23>> No vacation, no break. You don't want to
3:25give your body a break.
3:27give up on the the
3:29>> No, no, no, no, no. I'm born to fight.
3:34He didn't live. Yeah, he's born he's
3:35born to fight.
3:36>> I love it. Uh, can I ask you, Saladine,
3:38what was the week like leading up to the
3:40fight? Not necessarily fight night, but
3:42just going through the UFC protocols,
3:46the weigh-ins, the check-in, all all the
3:48stuff that the UFC is so good at. What
3:50was that like for you to do it for the
3:52first time? Getting your gear, the
3:53gloves, the uniform, all of that. What
3:56was that like? How would you describe
3:57it?
4:19Okay.
4:38He had he had I had a lot of media much
4:42more than before but I'm used to to to
4:44it. Uh but the most important thing
4:47things is to stay focused on the fight
4:49and for the Dday to be ready and to make
4:53the the best the best war he can do.
4:57>> You seemed as you were walking out I I
4:59was trying to really study you to see
5:01how you were coming across. You seemed
5:03very relaxed, happy, giving high fives
5:06to the fans and and whatnot, but I was
5:08wondering internally if you felt more
5:10nervous than usual. You've had some big
5:11fights, you've had title fights, you
5:13just fought on Netflix as well, but
5:15because of it being your debut in your
5:17home country, were you feeling a little
5:19bit more nervous than usual?
5:59He he he's used to to to this pressure
6:01and he really likes this pressure. He
6:04felt very relaxed because he he knows
6:07this pressure. But this pressure makes
6:10him much more much more um like he he
6:14really likes that because he can give
6:15very good fight and strong fight and he
6:18really wants to to entertain the the
6:20people and the arena during the fight
6:23and that's pressure give give it to him
6:26the this kind of uh of uh strength. You
6:29know, we we've talked a lot about the
6:31fact that the UFC has called you in the
6:33past and it just didn't make sense for
6:35you to come over and sign with them, you
6:37know, a couple of years ago. Do you
6:39think Saladine a couple years ago would
6:40have looked this good in in his debut or
6:43do you think it was perfect time to wait
6:45a little bit to become a little bit more
6:47comfortable to be the man to feel like
6:49you're feeling now and uh not jump at
6:51the first call when they called you for
6:53the first time with that contract?
6:57UFC
7:19generation.
7:30He he thinks that it was really the good
7:33timing for him. Uh because that's a new
7:36generation coming into the UFC. Uh and
7:39he he really think that it was a good
7:41time for him to to have some new
7:43challenges and to to maybe to to get the
7:46belt one day with this new generation. I
7:50was curious if when you were entering
7:51the cage if you noticed it was it was a
7:55beautiful symbolism. It was symbolic to
7:57see French giants of the sporting world.
8:00Victor Wanyama, his brother Rudy Gor
8:02watching and acting like fans clapping
8:05you on reacting like this. These are
8:07guys that have millions of people who
8:09react like that to them and there they
8:10are acting like fans about your work.
8:13Did you notice them? Did you see them as
8:14you were entering the cage or even
8:16afterwards?
8:31Superchar.
8:56Yeah, he he said I saw I saw them and it
8:59give it gives me more motivation. I'm
9:02very happy to to to see them during the
9:04fight and that's a very big symbolism
9:07for for him because they they represent
9:09France and he he really wants to to to
9:12entertain everybody because they are
9:14here and and that's he is very proud of
9:16that.
9:16>> When you were thinking about the fight
9:18and how it was going to play out, were
9:20you expecting a quick finish?
9:28Finish.
9:55I I don't uh look for the the quick
9:59finish. Uh I am a very adaptable
10:03fighter. I just want to read my uh my
10:07opponent and to understand his plan and
10:10he he I do what I I think good during
10:13the fight uh at the good moment at a
10:15good timing.
10:17>> His undoing was the liver kick, the kick
10:19to the body. Was that something that you
10:21were trying to set up? Was that
10:22something you specifically were
10:23targeting in practice that you knew was
10:25going to be open in the fight?
10:52Yes. Yeah. I worked a lot this uh this
10:55kick to deliver and has he he has the
10:58the the left hand and the the left left
11:02lead leg. uh he he really liked that and
11:06he think it's a very good strength for
11:08me for him
11:09>> that moment where you win and especially
11:11in France you win your UFC debut. Could
11:15you tell us do you even remember like
11:16how how old were you when you first
11:18started dreaming of something like that?
11:19Like that seems to be like a literal
11:21dream come true for you. How long have
11:23you been dreaming of a moment like that
11:25for?
11:30Foreign
11:38speech. Foreign speech.
11:57Everybody dreams of of that kind of
12:00things. That's crazy for him. And he he
12:03wants to uh to to to to go step by step
12:07and he worked every day since he has 11
12:11years old and uh and he he believe in
12:13him and and that's the good good
12:16adventure for him.
12:18>> By the way, when you were young, who was
12:19your favorite fighter? Who did you look
12:21up to? Who did you want to be like?
12:51He he really love
12:53two sports, English boxing and MMA. And
12:56then in in English boxing
13:03and VZ and in MMA and Rabib
13:07>> and Jose.
13:08>> Okay. Um they they came out with the
13:10rankings today Saladine and in the meta
13:12rankings you aren't ranked and in the
13:15media rankings you're ranked ninth and
13:18so there it is. Uh, can I ask A, how do
13:21you feel about not being ranked in the
13:22meta rankings, the AI rankings, and B,
13:25do you agree with ninth or do you think
13:27that that is too low?
13:50MVP.
14:03He's happy. He thinks that He thinks
14:06that he deserved it. Um he did eight kos
14:11in the last fight, seven or eight kos in
14:14the last fight and he think he he
14:16deserve it because he fought in the
14:18three biggest organization of MMA in the
14:21world, UFC, MVP and KSW. So he's happy
14:26of that rank and he thinks he can he can
14:29go better
14:33>> and he has to confirm it right now.
14:35>> All right. Pardon the interruption, but
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15:39support us. We love Kelshi and we hope
15:41you do as well. What about the computer
15:44the meta rankings not having you ranked
15:46in the top 15? Did you notice that?
16:14He it doesn't matter about the the
16:17computer ranking. He he
16:21didn't know that. Uh so you just tell
16:26him. So yeah, he he didn't know that.
16:29But uh he he's very happy to to have
16:31shown to the world right now his skills,
16:33his talent and he wants to confirm and
16:36and and to to to have biggest uh bigger
16:40fights then
16:42>> well I just want to let you know that
16:43this confirms to me that the computers
16:45the AI the meta rankings are stupid and
16:48that I think you should be in the top
16:49five. So I think I am I am offended on
16:53behalf of you.
17:03Thank you. Thank you.
17:05>> Okay.
17:05>> Uh I'm coming. I'm coming. I'm coming.
17:08Uh
17:10five five ranking.
17:12>> How soon would you like to fight again?
17:19>> Uh tomorrow.
17:21No. Look, look my face. No, it's clean,
17:24you know.
17:25tomorrow.
17:27>> Do you think this year? Do you think in
17:282026 you may fight again? Like maybe in
17:30December?
17:36>> Yes, of course. Of course.
17:37>> He's is ready always. Okay. Fight
17:40tomorrow.
17:41>> You you said that in in the cage you
17:42said Max Holloway is your dream fight.
17:45Do you think he would agree to fight you
17:47now?
18:16He thinks it could be good also for
18:19Maxway to accept the fight because Max
18:22he he really likes the challenges
18:25and Max knows that Saladin is a very
18:29very good fighter and he means they can
18:32do a very good war together. So he
18:34thinks that it could be a very a very
18:36good fight and very good war and and Max
18:38really likes that and um also he thinks
18:41he say that he's very humble that this
18:44fight will be with a lot of respect
18:47because he respects a lot.
18:50Uh he doesn't like trash talk that's not
18:53his personality. Uh, so that's always
18:56with the respect.
18:58>> If Max isn't available or isn't
19:00interested, is there another name that
19:02interests you, that excites you for your
19:04next one?
19:23He can fight anyone. He's ready for
19:25anyone on the top five. He really he
19:28really wants to to to get the top five
19:30right now. He's ready. But Maxi would be
19:33the the perfect fight for him.
19:35>> I wanted to ask you about two names. Uh
19:37there was another double champion in KSW
19:39who a lot of people wanted to see you
19:41fight. Matteos Gamro, who's now in the
19:42UFC. That fight never happened. Are you
19:45interested in that fight in the UFC?
20:00He he is not not very interested about
20:03this fight because now Gamarat is ranked
20:0612th. So he wants to look uh in front of
20:10him and not be at him.
20:12>> Fair enough. What about uh at some point
20:14Benois Saint do you have an issue
20:16fighting against another Frenchman?
20:36He he doesn't have an issue to fight
20:38another French guy that's but he he he
20:45has a good relationship with him. So if
20:46he they can not fight together,
20:50>> uh that would be better for for for
20:52them.
20:53>> But uh that's his job. And he he he will
20:56never refuse a fight. He's ready.
20:58>> I said on Saturday, I think you're ready
21:00to fight the the top five. I think
21:02you're as good as the top five. You can
21:03hang. I don't know how all the matchups
21:05go, but you are that caliber. Do you
21:07agree with me? A lot of people didn't
21:09agree with me. I'm curious if you agree
21:10with me. Are you ready to fight the top
21:12five and can hang with all these guys in
21:13your opinion?
21:33I really really think that he's ready
21:36and uh he he trained for long time since
21:40he was 11 years old for that and he's
21:43very very ready for that. I remember
21:45asking you when you signed with the UFC
21:47a couple months ago, in your mind, how
21:49many fights before you fight for the
21:51belt? And if my memory serves me
21:53correct, you said around two to three.
21:54I'm curious what you're thinking now.
21:56How many more before you get to the
21:57belt?
22:28manager.
22:37He did three fights before the belt in
22:39the KSW against very big names of the
22:42KSW. He did a great fight and for the
22:46UFC he doesn't know what's going to
22:48happen
22:50but he called out for for Max away. He
22:54really hope that uh he he going to
22:57accept but he he he wants to follow his
23:00manager Stefan Ach and um and he going
23:04to see what happened. Uh, last thing for
23:06you, uh, Saladine. I'm always so blown
23:09away by the support from the French
23:12crowd to the French fighters. Uh, just
23:14the the the amazing passion that they
23:16have. It's amazing to watch. And so I
23:18just wanted to know what you wanted to
23:20say to them
23:21vuvu. Uh, to the French crowd that was
23:25there in attendance on Saturday
23:27screaming, supporting you online as
23:29well. It's amazing to just see the fan
23:30base growing so quickly each and every
23:32year. And so what would you like to say
23:34to these people who have been backing
23:35you for so long?
23:47for
24:11Yeah, he's very happy about the the
24:13support of the French French people and
24:16if He he really liked that the people um
24:20are are with him and he thinks that the
24:23French uh the French people has to to be
24:26together and to be uh to be unified for
24:30for the for the fight and and for for
24:33the for the next step.
24:48Yeah. All the French people has to be
24:51unified to to to step up together.
24:53>> Yes. And by the way, can I ask you about
24:55that cuz uh Axel Solah spoke about that
24:57as well. And I I I maybe have missed
24:59something because he was saying that he
25:01didn't feel like they were unified for
25:03Farzam. Is there something going on with
25:05the the French people right now where
25:07there's a lot of division and and is
25:09that what you're referring to as well as
25:10Axel?
25:28No.
25:44He doesn't feel a division in French in
25:47France. Sorry. just it was a difficult
25:49situation because two two French uh guys
25:53was fighting so
25:55>> so people has to choose a
25:59camp so some people was was for for
26:04some people for for Axel so for him
26:08>> it's it's just
26:09>> there's no division okay well I'm glad
26:11to hear that and one more time
26:14unbelievable it was emotional to see it
26:16to to see you finally debut in the UFC
26:18and to see the crowd react the way uh
26:20that they did and to see it all play out
26:22that way. Well done, Saladine Felicitio.
26:25Enjoy the victory and can't wait to see
26:27what you do next in the UFC and I think
26:29it's going to be a very fun journey
26:30covering your your rise in the company
26:32because I'm expecting some very very big
26:34things out of you. So well done and
26:35enjoy every step along the way.
26:44Thank you. Okay, Melie and great job,
26:47Tao. Well done.
26:49>> Thank you very much. I'm not translator.
26:51I'm just his friends. But
26:52>> hey, you did a great job. You did a
26:54great job. Thank you so much, guys.
26:56>> Thank you very much.
26:56>> All right. There he is. Saladin Palnas,
26:58the newest member of the UFC lightweight
27:01division. Remember that name. That is
27:02going to be a name that we uh speak
27:04about for a long time. I think he is
27:06going to be a stud, a superstar, and if
27:08he can turn around relatively quickly,
27:09and if he could fight Max, if they get
27:11him the Max Holloway fight, holy smokes.
27:13Uh
27:15Strap on your seat belt. It's going to
27:16be a very, very fun ride. Thanks for
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