00:00:00:18 – 00:00:11:16

Ola Akande:

What’s going on fight show people, you are welcome. And look who we have here. We Simeon Powell How are you doing, my brother?

 

00:00:12:00 – 00:00:13:26

Simeon Powell:

I’m good, man. I’m very well.

 

00:00:14:09 – 00:00:40:26

Ola Akande:

Yeah, but I would say excited to have you on the show, but thank you for pulling up to the fight week’s show. You. You made a big splash in in the media world. And the way the way that you go about your business goes with your nickname, I swear. I mean, it’s just watching this, your very first fight to really see why you go by that name.

 

00:00:40:26 – 00:00:49:24

Ola Akande:

The how has it been for you, you know, stepping into the world of MMO? What what made you really want to do it To start with?

 

00:00:51:26 – 00:00:52:22

Ola Akande:

That’s our audience.

 

00:00:54:21 – 00:01:14:13

Simeon Powell:

Well, it was. I just. I needed to find something positive to put my energy into and yeah, and I just fell in love with the sport and I felt like I got that support from my coaches, my first coaches that I just elevated to. I mean.

 

00:01:14:29 – 00:01:39:00

Ola Akande:

We we know that, you know, you’ve filled with people like Johnny Walker, Luis Diego, Vanilla Guerra, who’s also been on our show, saluted Luis being been around. Those people are rubbing shoulders with those other people. How does that help improve on maybe even take your your game to to the next level?

 

00:01:39:17 – 00:02:08:14

Simeon Powell:

Yeah, off of the I got the luxury of a sparring with many fighters across the country and in the UK and it’s it’s good because it helps you know where you’re at. It allows you to know that you can compete with the best in the country, and it just gives you that belief in yourself. I guess. Yeah, but it’s always good to get knowledge from all of the people around me.

 

00:02:08:14 – 00:02:13:01

Simeon Powell:

I’m grateful that I’m in a position to do that.

 

00:02:13:27 – 00:02:41:29

Ola Akande:

Let me ask you this. I mean, grit, composure to start a fight with, you know, you on your debut, You know, I mean, we’ve Robbie Kennedy, great composure. You came out aggressive. He had you on the cable. You patient. What? You know, just just going back to that fight. Yeah, but we then took him down and and and just reverse the whole thing that he’s been trying to do to you and just looked him off like that.

 

00:02:41:29 – 00:02:46:24

Ola Akande:

I, I was that Andrew, please, please.

 

00:02:47:13 – 00:03:15:29

Simeon Powell:

You had a look. I remember getting ready for that fight. Of course I knew he was explosive news and exclusive guy, but I was just confident that wherever the fight went, I, I had the advantage. I just had to wait for by time. I knew by blitzing it and that was superior. So I knew if I took him down, the maidens that he made mistakes and I capitalized.

 

00:03:16:24 – 00:03:45:17

Ola Akande:

That really kept your course. D I mean, it was, it was under his chin hard when like you also had a fight where you finished, you finished with a slightly one of the B got flying knees. Was that, was that part of the plan? Did you train did you train that specific move going into, going into that final or is is it something I, I just the opportunity was there.

 

00:03:45:22 – 00:03:46:16

Ola Akande:

You just delivered it.

 

00:03:47:05 – 00:04:16:17

Simeon Powell:

You know, I always knew it was opposite. Funny story. Bye my back. She was like, dude, you got to get me. And I was like, yeah, you’re right that in the fight of my to forget my two good teammates, Jason Radcliffe But if you could, if you watch the clip, you hear someone shout the elbow, then that had to pay my mind to throw it right now.

 

00:04:16:29 – 00:04:33:27

Ola Akande:

That was that was a that was an impressive, impressive knockout. I mean, again, people just have to see you fight and they already know exactly why you go by that nickname. You always kind of middle way, but you debited into.

 

00:04:34:16 – 00:04:34:24

Simeon Powell:

That.

 

00:04:35:15 – 00:04:50:23

Ola Akande:

Into yeah, I like heavy. What was the decision behind that, what it was was it something to do a weight control easy again opportunity to and and a situation that’s that’s led you to turn to the light heavyweight.

 

00:04:51:11 – 00:05:15:24

Simeon Powell:

Of way was I just growing I get I was as I got older so I was you know as you look down and think it was like a year and a half or two years between, I don’t know, my last couple of to fight, I didn’t debut. So I grew I grew out of what was I was I think I was 20, 20 when I had my last savage fight.

 

00:05:15:29 – 00:05:26:22

Simeon Powell:

I think I was 22 when I had my pro debut. So a group I yeah, I just got bigger. So it was it was that time to I mean.

 

00:05:27:09 – 00:05:51:20

Ola Akande:

I probably people would say maybe your toughest fight to date in Tobias Baker call I heard your post-fight interview you hit that but we ever take it everything but I just will go away. Like what? What do you take from that fight? Because sometimes you learn a lot more in a unanimous decision fight like that? Yeah, I’m like, finishing people.

 

00:05:52:18 – 00:05:57:12

Ola Akande:

Yeah, that’s in the first. In the first round. Please tell us what you took away from that. What? Why?

 

00:05:57:22 – 00:06:21:27

Simeon Powell:

What? That’s a good question. Was I learned that you can’t, you can’t be hungry for the finish. The finish to come. Your opportunity will come. Well, I felt like at times I was a bit too young to finish hungry because I read Jared, I really wanted to project a big opportunity. I wouldn’t say Chris, but I think I matured from that fight by being carb.

 

00:06:23:03 – 00:06:39:20

Simeon Powell:

Of being carb just allowed the fight to float. Yeah, the opportunity for me to finish carbs. Carbs. So yeah, cause I definitely could fit. I know I could to fully step right. By the way, you talk. Yeah.

 

00:06:39:20 – 00:07:03:10

Ola Akande:

It’s a real I never that stuff. I like the, the I mean even even from your, from your post-fight interview I could see those. The other thing that you did mentioned you wanted to manage your gas tank because you’re slicing this. But I agree I mean I, I, I think my guts that drive Yeah.

 

00:07:03:18 – 00:07:20:29

Simeon Powell:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But yeah I was happy. I made that just because I think round one really put out like a high output at the end of round what I like. I was like, you know what this guy’s tough. So let me just with this to.

 

00:07:23:10 – 00:07:30:26

Ola Akande:

Oh, but going into that situation you then had a call from So they told you to turn back around 12 days.

 

00:07:31:17 – 00:07:34:03

Simeon Powell:

Yeah we got five days.

 

00:07:34:27 – 00:07:35:18

Ola Akande:

Five days.

 

00:07:36:28 – 00:07:40:11

Simeon Powell:

12 days between the fight. Yeah. Five these it’s Yeah.

 

00:07:40:21 – 00:07:52:17

Ola Akande:

You know, you, you barely got home. Like what was that like mentally. And then, you know, turning right back around and going straight back out to do you know what you just. You just literally got home.

 

00:07:53:04 – 00:08:23:24

Simeon Powell:

Yeah. I was so, I was so motivated to, to, to do some good people though you don’t do you don’t hear about stuff like this people don’t read. It’s like it was a big risk. I had to go out to cut £20, but I thought, you know what, this if someone was to do a movie about me or write a book like this is a good story, to have it back in front of it.

 

00:08:23:25 – 00:08:30:15

Simeon Powell:

That movie star for what? Let me do it and let me just push myself and see what I could do.

 

00:08:30:15 – 00:09:00:09

Ola Akande:

I mean, you you you fought Joe John Polo for days. I know. What if you the fire like what it’s like it’s like your own time. You just go around taking people’s oaths, brother. What was it like going after these these fighters, delivering the way you’ve delivered, you deliver, and even even selecting your matchups and that like what was that whole thought process, Huh?

 

00:09:00:14 – 00:09:01:11

Ola Akande:

How does that come about?

 

00:09:02:03 – 00:09:29:22

Simeon Powell:

See, with me, I do. You know, I don’t fights. I don’t touch players. My coaches have to hold me back my body, because I wasn’t everyone’s needs on top. But this fight I asked for someone before we’ve had a better record would be I wanted someone I wanted. I wanted to test. I had. Yeah, they. They boy over.

 

00:09:31:02 – 00:09:54:17

Simeon Powell:

I made it look easy, Jared. I did it for last. I was in any trouble with the fight, but, yeah, I just. I just wanted to. I knew in my back. But in England, not the I to how to put out a show about it. I had to do it. I get somewhat well. So. Yeah, I’m glad I took that fight.

 

00:09:54:17 – 00:10:14:03

Ola Akande:

You you have a quote saying my future in the sport is to become a world champion and be remembered as one of the great As far as to ever do it. What motivates you and inspires you to to want to be, you know, one of the greatest in a mixed martial arts.

 

00:10:17:00 – 00:10:46:18

Simeon Powell:

World as well is would be is how much I’ve put into this. Like people just people just see the quick rise but I’ve been rough graph do that I, I would I would hard work to be almost so remember who that the only way I could do that is by it striving for greatness. I’m leaving my name in history.

 

00:10:46:18 – 00:10:54:02

Simeon Powell:

Jeremy Yeah. So yeah, that’s what it is. But I just what? I just want my work to be appreciated, I guess. Way to live.

 

00:10:54:13 – 00:10:58:00

Ola Akande:

I mean, our fans, definitely. We appreciate it. We appreciate your.

 

00:10:58:00 – 00:10:58:15

Simeon Powell:

Work, but.

 

00:10:59:23 – 00:11:08:08

Ola Akande:

It’s never the joke till we go. We see what you do in the Octagon and it’s just mesmerizing, you know, to.

 

00:11:09:04 – 00:11:09:20

Simeon Powell:

Appreciate.

 

00:11:09:27 – 00:11:31:18

Ola Akande:

It. Yeah, man, it is truly great, great work of art. Looking back on your body of work, I just 24 years of age, but you’ve displayed incredible competency in all aspects of MMA when you look at it, because I believe I still believe your your ground your ground game is still on there. Underrated people. Do they feel they don’t even live here?

 

00:11:31:19 – 00:11:50:12

Ola Akande:

I see. I see what’s really going on there. I mean, from from your wrestling to to Muay Thai but Brazilian jiu jitsu to boxing, how have you managed to gain so much and ability to execute all of that is such a, you know, most of the time.

 

00:11:51:02 – 00:12:01:01

Simeon Powell:

Oh, like a lot of the previous hard work, I was raw Joe at There’s so much room for improvement. That’s the scary thing.

 

00:12:01:13 – 00:12:01:24

Ola Akande:

Done.

 

00:12:02:05 – 00:12:18:29

Simeon Powell:

Under them. Under the lights. I don’t crumble. I perform because I’ve worked so hard, but yet there’s still levels to go. Kind of. Yeah, it’s just exciting to see what I’m about. But yeah, really it’s down to my hard work.

 

00:12:19:15 – 00:12:40:24

Ola Akande:

Yeah. Yeah, man. We’ve, we’ve heard you on record. Credit your, your first coach Mr. Chris Foran. I’ll give you the, the belief in yourself that you needed to take yourself seriously as a fighter. Yeah. What about him impacted you so greatly to. To really want to take this spot seriously.

 

00:12:42:26 – 00:13:04:27

Simeon Powell:

From, from the day I’ve got from the day I walked into the gym, he just I know he just showed an interest in me and he that’s what a young man like we needed to hear but somewhere believe someone. I saw potential and I was like, I didn’t see it myself to begin with. But he did. I know eyes as years.

 

00:13:04:27 – 00:13:18:29

Simeon Powell:

When the time went on, I just got bad and bad and he just stuck with me and put me in positions that I’m grateful for for the rest of my life journey. So yes. Yeah. But I over.

 

00:13:19:24 – 00:13:44:15

Ola Akande:

Yeah, I’m, I’m big up big up to a stuck with four on there What would be your advice because we have a lot of a young audience you know for the follow our channel What would be your advice to fighters coming up and developing you know better timing and and precision as well as the ability to finish what would be advice to them in those situations?

 

00:13:45:07 – 00:14:17:06

Simeon Powell:

Um, I would I would say just keep keep training, keep keep being consistent in the gym and sports bar and not about sport stupid. Does that mean if that makes sense, you get your time and make sure you get the time in on your the road with the sport and the sport of the business. You know, like struggle to find your range and stuff like that and you have to be consistent in the gym.

 

00:14:17:14 – 00:14:19:10

Simeon Powell:

That’s, that’s the main thing for me.

 

00:14:19:26 – 00:14:49:24

Ola Akande:

Yeah man thank you for that one. You had to hear people. You heard it here first from Samuel Powell. You said, keep sparring and I’ll do I’ll do it the right way. Okay. You’ve talked about how you get mistaken for I. You tell us about that. How how does that make you feel every time? You know, I mean, you there are people mistaking you for him and and do you guys have you guys made contacts?

 

00:14:50:04 – 00:14:50:15

Ola Akande:

You know.

 

00:14:51:17 – 00:15:24:07

Simeon Powell:

But not yet. But it started from when I was like, oh, I was a frat boy in high school, probably even earlier, just in the school playground because kids I was on the rise But the other. Yeah, everyone started to see that kids Yeah, that that is crazy. I’ve got to fight the other day. Yeah. So but the crowd also.

 

00:15:24:07 – 00:15:49:24

Ola Akande:

Yeah, but that’s, that’s a, that’s a bad one still. Well we know you’re a fan of, of you know Jake Paul as well and he’s just signed for PSL. You’re probably the person that you are. We’ve, I’m from a business angle. Does what does it do for the promotion, What does it do for the sport from just from a business point of view.

 

00:15:49:24 – 00:16:18:12

Simeon Powell:

I think, I think it’s great for the sport and the business side of the sport because like Jake, Jake has many fans, right? And he’s got, he’s got Ben, he’s got a huge following and all it could do is just benefit us fighters because it just brings those casual eyes to the, to the sport. I guess I can’t I can’t knock him for trying it.

 

00:16:18:15 – 00:16:35:23

Simeon Powell:

I can’t get angry for doing this thing too. I mean, so I just I just look at it as a good business opportunity for both PSL Jake and US fighters because he is also pushing for fighters to get paid more. So what could I, what could I really complain about?

 

00:16:36:04 – 00:16:54:12

Ola Akande:

Yeah. Yeah that’s, that’s true. That’s true is one of the things that, you know, love him or hate him, he wants for us to get, you know, to get paid, you know what they do and and fair play to him on that. Do you do you think you know do you think you you could end up in there with him.

 

00:16:54:12 – 00:16:56:19

Ola Akande:

Do you think if you take you up on the fight.

 

00:16:57:00 – 00:17:06:17

Simeon Powell:

And the fight, you know, if he wants it, you can get it. Well, I don’t think you won’t see the guy right now. What?

 

00:17:07:12 – 00:17:24:15

Ola Akande:

I mean, I wanted to ask you what what what’s your 2023 looking like? Like give give us give us a timeline. I mean, just to achieve three times, four times what was 123 looking like for.

 

00:17:24:15 – 00:18:07:26

Simeon Powell:

So I mean the PFA Europe League and I three fights 200 K I see myself go head to toe this year. I see myself a hundred K richer. Let’s see. So I put in my position, put myself in a position that a lot of fighters wish to be like. I’ll be chasing that million dollar check next year. And I see I, I’ll be able to live with the fight that drew a bit more financial freedom.

 

00:18:07:26 – 00:18:22:26

Simeon Powell:

I could I’ll just take it to the next level, bring it to you guys about how I could travel, where I’ve worked the world around me, get loaded from wherever I want. So expect, expect levels, levels to be raised this year.

 

00:18:23:21 – 00:18:50:17

Ola Akande:

We do. We definitely we are definitely looking forward to it. You know, these are life changing opportunities that you just I’ve just mentioned here. And and for everything that you guys, you know, put your body through the training, the sacrifices, the mission of, you know, milestones in your loved ones lives and stuff like that, things that are, you know, just to make this dream happen.

 

00:18:51:01 – 00:19:17:03

Ola Akande:

You guys definitely, definitely deserve, you know, every good thing that comes your way. We know how much Jon Jones, you look up to him in terms of inspiring, you know, inspiration in the sport right? He’s got his golf coming on the 4th of March. Let me just ask you a couple couple, you know, predictions in some of the fights that that’s coming up.

 

00:19:17:21 – 00:19:40:15

Ola Akande:

Jon Jones is fighting through gun. It was obviously they tried to move that to see whether it was a good Well, that was good to be fighting you know Francis and God no that’s not happening fast. As a guy who could yet end up on your promotion, by the way. But that’s that’s a different story. Jon Jones And and and see ROGAN How do you see that?

 

00:19:40:15 – 00:19:41:11

Ola Akande:

You see that playing out?

 

00:19:42:02 – 00:20:22:01

Simeon Powell:

Ah, I see. It’s interesting what I would cut on the fence because Syria is the by my opinion, he’s the best striker. Jones is based upon is that a heavier weight. Right. Bit more power it’s dangerous but also it and I look at it on the flip side France is a garden dog so God with but yes, I look like Joe Jones is is is is quite good.

 

00:20:22:01 – 00:20:57:14

Simeon Powell:

But it’s hard. But it’s hard. We have so many questions about it because we never seen Joe that this way we never do. I mean, I don’t see why he hasn’t been performing to get guys that give it to draw these guys that are given it to eat still, what in my opinion, what is what those fights people say, what I feel and what those fights they didn’t do enough for what I feel like it’s zero puts the other doesn’t wrestle that it’s a bad day for so.

 

00:20:59:09 – 00:21:30:24

Ola Akande:

Yeah I couldn’t I couldn’t agree more as Jones Jones to me what are these guys that he’s just it’s just good at everything he’s good everywhere and is every time you think octagon Russell Ringrose is going to get him. It doesn’t get Jones, you know, just comes up. He does what he does. I’m finds a way to win and for me yeah, it’s tough to see so many questions to be answered because Rogan is just so dynamic.

 

00:21:30:24 – 00:21:59:12

Ola Akande:

He’s so technical and yeah, that’s, that’s one to definitely look forward to. We’ve got one next week. We’ve volkanovski and, and Islamic culture just watching this happening obviously out there in Australia again, seeing the way Islam dispatched. Charles Oliveira, how do you feel Volkanovski is going to go to matchup up to two Islam Makhachev there. That’s that’s the big one.

 

00:21:59:21 – 00:22:00:18

Ola Akande:

This one’s for legacy.

 

00:22:00:18 – 00:22:27:27

Simeon Powell:

But this is a big fight. It’s a big fight. Hasn’t been promoted enough, I feel like. Yeah, I agree. I think I think I think Islam gets it done. But openness is very tough to do. I mean, you saw Brian Ortega fight with who I like. He is a tough guy, so I can get that. But it won’t be it won’t be easy.

 

00:22:27:27 – 00:22:28:19

Simeon Powell:

Like people say.

 

00:22:29:25 – 00:22:36:06

Ola Akande:

Yeah, yeah. Can I ask you, do you do you follow any football teams in the prem?

 

00:22:37:05 – 00:22:44:12

Simeon Powell:

I’m asked. In fact, I don’t I, I try to keep both of my it’s not really my thing but yeah.

 

00:22:44:27 – 00:22:48:02

Ola Akande:

I asked the 5000 I’d.

 

00:22:48:05 – 00:22:49:23

Simeon Powell:

Say I know we do. Well this year.

 

00:22:50:28 – 00:23:14:08

Ola Akande:

I’m going to say like the way the way they do this, this, this season I’m asking for myself. So it makes this conversation just that little bit better. The way the way, the way we’ve we’ve moved this season. It’s been impressive. We lost yesterday, by the way, to Sean Dyche, but how Arsenal’s been, it’s been going this season.

 

00:23:14:08 – 00:23:24:09

Ola Akande:

Is it something you expected and do you, do you expect them to really challenge see towards the end of the season, perhaps even lifting if even even lifting the Premier League?

 

00:23:25:04 – 00:23:51:11

Simeon Powell:

Because I’m I’m 24 now. My life I really seen Arsenal win Team USA Cups. So I mean, I know I’ve never really X you know, we expect top four, but you don’t really expect to win Derby. But then I see I’ve been tapping it a little bit this year. I’m yeah, dark. I feel like we could do it, but.

 

00:23:52:21 – 00:23:57:01

Ola Akande:

The belief the belief is right is rising much still by my dad.

 

00:23:57:20 – 00:24:02:20

Simeon Powell:

Yeah. We get close, we get closer this like it was Britain break my heart.

 

00:24:02:20 – 00:24:23:19

Ola Akande:

So yeah hopefully hopefully we’re able to do it you know this season it’s been a great season for us regardless of how we end, I just want us to challenge and I’ve seen us Winfrey League titles and so many cups as well. And yeah, this this one here is going to be a special one. Not winning for over 20 years.

 

00:24:23:22 – 00:24:35:11

Ola Akande:

And yeah, and I’m winning it this year is going to be a model for a lot of you fans. That’s your wages for that. Even the houses in Arsenal do something like that. But it’s wow it’s wow.

 

00:24:35:21 – 00:24:43:16

Simeon Powell:

Never before like I heard about the Invincibles Derby we never got to really experience great.

 

00:24:43:16 – 00:25:00:11

Ola Akande:

It’s crazy when you think about it, when you think about, you know, the age that you’re right. If anyone told me the last time we won the Premier League title that I was going to take this long to win another award, I’ll tell that to bugger off. That was how good we were in those days is crazy. It’s crazy.

 

00:25:01:06 – 00:25:19:29

Ola Akande:

Simeon, thank you so much for the time that you’ve given us. You’ve been so, so generous with your time. I really, really appreciate it. I’ve enjoyed the conversation. I feel like I’ve known you forever, that I could talk to you forever. But hopefully down the line, If you don’t mind, we’d like to bring you back on the channel.

 

00:25:20:07 – 00:25:27:00

Simeon Powell:

Perhaps after the after effects after obviously, probably see you at the double or not.

 

00:25:27:20 – 00:25:35:04

Ola Akande:

Yeah, no problem. But I. No problem. I really, really appreciate that one. And jump onto the next video, people. Yeah, please. Please. I was going to say something.

 

00:25:35:04 – 00:25:42:22

Simeon Powell:

No doubt they keep doing their thing, but like, I like, I like how you, you do your research very well. So I appreciate it.

 

00:25:43:07 – 00:25:51:06

Ola Akande:

I really, really appreciate that one. Thank you so much. We really, really appreciate your time. And up until the next video, as the LA Vista people, we’re out.