Joe Rogan Experience #2470 - Pierre Poilievre
In a Nutshell
Pierre Poilievre outlines his vision for Canada as the "mind your own damn business party": unblock resource development (oil, minerals, lumber) with fast permits and low taxes to boost jobs, affordability, and North American security; enforce fiscal discipline via pay-go laws, cut bureaucracy/inflation drivers, and reform immigration/soft justice to restore working-class prosperity. He critiques government overreach (COVID mandates, MAiD expansion, opioid crisis mishandling), champions personal freedom, hard money, clean eating, and MMA excellence, while urging tariff-free US-Canada trade and simplicity in governance. Rogan praises Poilievre's reasonableness, shares fitness/MMA insights, and vows to visit if he becomes PM.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Joe Rogan welcomes Pierre Poilievre to the Joe Rogan Experience in Texas. Poilievre explains he couldn't come earlier due to the Canadian election campaign. Rogan notes difficulty getting Poilievre to Canada.
Poilievre presents Rogan with a 70-pound kettlebell from Calgary gunsmith Jay, engraved with "70 pounds" (Rogan's cabinet weight), a stand, "seeing is believing" (UFC 12 slogan), Miyamoto Musashi quote "If you know the way broadly, you will see it in everything", Morse code thank you, Rogan's flying saucer, logo, and subliminal Canadian maple leaf to remind him to visit Canada.
Rogan saw Poilievre's interview with Pavl (Pavel Tsatsouline). Kettlebells originated as counterweights at Russian farmers markets for weighing produce like potatoes or barley. Farmers showed strength at fairs by throwing them. Russian/Soviet army adopted them. Pavel, Belarusian, brought them to North America via StrongFirst. Ancient Chinese Shaolin monks used concrete block versions for strength training. Poilievre does cleans to press, squats, overhead squats. Rogan calls it a cannonball with a handle, superior to dumbbells for explosive power mimicking real life (fights, heavy lifts). Kettlebell snatch creates catapult effect where weight becomes negative by shoulder height.
Poilievre wrestled until mid-teens, got severe shoulder tendinitis ending athletics for four years, leading to boredom and politics. Attended local Conservative association meetings. Grew up in south Calgary suburb; adopted by schoolteacher parents (birth mom 16-year-old single mother). Neighbors: electricians, oil workers, police. Felt government ignored hardworking people (Western alienation). Inspired by Preston Manning's billboard "enough". Read Fidel Castro biography, had issues with Pierre Trudeau's oil sector damage. Influenced by Milton Friedman Capitalism and Freedom. Philosophy: maximize personal financial, religious freedom.
At 16-17, interned for $600/month, commuted 1 hour 45 minutes via two trains and bus. Dad bought used suit and shoes; thrilled despite bad thrift tie.
Rogan praises Poilievre as reasonable, intelligent, rare in politics. Loves Canada (America with 20% less bullshit), nicest people, but government went wrong (COVID, trucker convoy, accounts frozen for donations). Used to cross border with driver's license; frequented Montreal Just for Laughs since 1993.
1 in 20 Canadian deaths now assisted suicide (MAiD). Poilievre supports choice for terminal cases (e.g., Rogan's friend Michael Lair with ALS went to Oregon), opposes for kids or sole mental illness like seasonal depression (recent case). Promote hope via fitness (better than antidepressants), control over life, pushing through hardship. Reference Viktor Frankl's logotherapy (meaning from Holocaust survival; book stolen, rewrote it). Frankl story: rich woman vs. poor mother with lost/disabled sons—meaning trumps wealth/ease. Party policy: public servants shouldn't suggest MAiD to those calling about poverty, mental illness, injury; people seek it if desired. Organizations grow via financial incentives, leading to more deaths.
Canada remains free democracy. Poilievre told Biden he's leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition; Biden confused (loyal + opposition). British system: opposition loyal to people, prosecutes government (half-circle parliament, two sword-lengths apart historically). Parliament constrains government power for people (House of Commons, green from old field meetings). Role: limit government to roads, military, safety net, borders, police; mind your own damn business party.
Common people (farmers, workers, mechanics) wiser than experts. COVID money printing: mechanics predicted inflation correctly vs. politicians/bankers.
Trump's Canada-as-51st-state talk upset Canadians (crazy; Canada not for sale, sovereign, proudly Canadian like American patriotism). Wish he'd stop for friendly bilateral talks. Had some effect; people initially thought it was
Initially, everyone thought Trump's comments about Canada becoming the 51st state were jokes, like taking over Vermont or Detroit being part of Canada. But he kept repeating it, upsetting many people understandably. It's a crazy thing to say. Trump said he started joking but then people thought it was a good idea, which it's not. Tariffs aren't a good idea either. Removing tariffs would allow much collaboration as neighbors and partners.
America's biggest problems are affordability and security, where Canada can help. Canada has the fourth biggest oil supply on Earth. The US gets a price discount on Canadian oil because infrastructure ships it north-south, and it's unique heavy oil. Canada accepts a price discount, translating to more jobs and paychecks but also lower energy prices. US has $5 a gallon gas in many places. Canada wants to produce more to sell 2 million more barrels into the US market.
Housing pressures make it unaffordable for young Americans. Canada is the biggest supplier of lumber for US home building, with low-cost, high-quality softwood lumber. The bestselling truck in America for 45 years is the Ford F-series with a military-grade aluminum body. US can't produce enough aluminum due to lack of bauxite or electricity. Canada supplies the aluminum. Tariffs don't bring production to America; they raise aluminum and F-series truck prices. Removing tariffs lowers taxes and costs for the miner in Appalachia or electrician in Ohio.
On security, Canada has minerals to make the continent safer. A tariff-free deal and free trade as friends benefits both.
No conversations with Trump; follows rule of one prime minister at a time. Fought hard to win but came close, now supports the prime minister in negotiations, even texting updates from US visit to support Canada's interests.
Canadian elections: Technically fixed dates, but government can fall anytime if opposition unites to vote no confidence (majority of MPs). Prime minister can call election. Must happen within roughly 3 years, but could be in weeks after non-confidence vote. Like the British system, which Canada adopted identically. Campaigning is a long game, laying out strategy to make Canada better.
As leader of the opposition (Official Opposition) and prime minister in waiting, prosecutes government while presenting as a viable alternative government.
Been attempting prime minister role almost exactly four years, launched campaign February 2022. Had it in back of mind for 50s or 60s, no rush. Now 46. Motivated post-COVID by economic policies: growing government size/cost worldwide, inflation destroying working-class people. Ran to make Canada the freest country on Earth, reinstating tradition of freedom as Canada's nationality (Wilfrid Laurier: Canada is free, freedom is its nationality). Already mixed Scots, Irish, French, English, First Nations. Won leadership, ran in election, stayed on.
Prime minister is part of legislative branch, debates in House of Commons multiple times weekly. Six consecutive questions in question period, back and forth. Committees prosecute/propose on finance, natural resources, healthcare. Constantly debating unlike US pre-election debates. Recently proposed bringing back auto pact for tariff-free Canada-US trade. Encourages government to steal ideas.
Shout out to George St-Pierre for coffee. He's a good man with humility despite MMA accomplishments. Introduced him to Parliament Hill years ago, down-to-earth. Canadian way: soft-spoken, gentle, kind but tough. Trump messed up with 51st state narrative, possibly cost election, but focus on present.
Mike Malott (Mealot/Mike Malot) fighting in Winnipeg, next GSP. Excellent fighter, did great in Montreal. Trainer Crew Kru Allen Hamalian from Hamilton steel town. Tristar Gym in Montreal one of world's best; Firas Zahabi top coach, true mixed martial artist (black belt jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, Muay Thai, everything). Trains many Americans. Great martial arts tradition in Canada: Mike Miles brought Muay Thai from Thailand to Calgary in 70s/80s, still great gym.
Jean Turcotte from Ottawa, kickboxing hero/idol. Bought his book, started running stairs for leg muscles/kicking power after reading. Trained at his South Ottawa dojo. Elite kickboxer, great boxer (hands fantastic, pristine accuracy/technique). Studied limb distances scientifically, all about simplicity (Bruce Lee: hack away at the unnecessary, shortest distance to strike). Good heart: jiu-jitsu club trained blind student via focus mitts during COVID when close contact disallowed.
Allowed pad work but not jiu-jitsu (gym policy, close contact/sweat). US gyms kept going, hid with foil over windows, back doors; some caught but nothing came of it—unconstitutional to ban workouts. Healthiest people least likely to get sick; gyms could say don't come if sick.
Need common sense; western governments too bossy, seeking excuses to control (EV mandates, internet control, massive government cost growth appropriating private economy). Reverse trend, put people in charge. Rights lost are hard to regain, but must fight—regained post-COVID (all mandates gone, though ridiculous, impeded business, ruined lives). Freedom always taken, e.g., Magna Carta 1215 (jury trial, no arrest without charge, no confiscation without compensation, no taxation without representation). Barons forced King John. Boston Tea Party appealed to same rights as Englishmen.
Long march toward freedom, no permanent victories/defeats.
If elected, unblock resources. Canada has most resources per capita: 4th in oil, #1 uranium/potash (fertilizer), 5th natural gas, longest oceanic coastline, 10/12 NATO defense minerals (germanium for night vision, gallium for semiconductors/radar, aluminum for armored vehicles/planes, cobalt for heat-resistant alloys/fighter jets, tungsten for armor-piercing ammo). Palmer Lucky needs Canadian minerals. Produce abundantly for selves/allies, $200,000 paychecks for trades workers, enormous strategic stockpile for leverage/international relations/global conflict.
Get rid of blocking laws, fastest permits/lowest taxes worldwide. Ostensible reason: environmental impact, but bureaucracy too big. First Nations entrepreneurial: Squamish built 6,000 housing units on 10 acres (their land), building LNG plant replacing old mill (14-year federal permit). Hardisty (600 people) manages $100 billion oil with one-week/one-page permits—officials farm otherwise. Need that speed.
Safeguards needed, but protect quickly: assess damage in weeks/months not decades (nothing new in year 14 vs. month 14). Germans approved LNG import terminal in 60 days post-Ukraine invasion, completed <200 days, no environmental problems.
Bypass bureaucracy: one project/one environmental review (not 20-30), fixed 6-month timeline. Pre-permit studied areas for pipelines/mines/LNG/ports—guaranteed if follow terms.
Fear of permanent devastating impact (Alberta oil extraction looks like scorched earth, e.g., Fort McMurray open pit mines). No: most responsible worldwide. Open pit, extract bitumen, separate sand/oil, dilute with diluent, ship, resurface—won't know mine was there, no groundwater impact. Locals healthy/happy, strongest supporters. Economically incredible, no decline rate (unlike US shale). In-situ: steam injection under forest, pristine nature above (bears/deer/birds unaware). Best industry worldwide.
Oil industry faces disgusting PR campaign by extremist environmentalists and competitors to make it look bad, but it's the best industry in the world. Videos make it look horrible superficially, but it's all BS. Best engineers in the world. First Nations people love it as it lifts them out of poverty with enormous job opportunities. One MP is a former chief who reduced unemployment from 18% to 3% and balanced budget. Another MP in Northern British Columbia negotiated $40 billion LNG plant on Heisla territory, eliminating poverty. Exporting clean Canadian natural gas, liquefied 25% cheaper due to cold weather, displaces dirty coal overseas. First Nations partnerships make everybody richer and continent better off.
Seems simple, but bureaucracy and permit delays hold everything up, same as housing shortage in California due to endless permits screwing working-class youth. Canada has same challenge. Proposed cutting bureaucracy and taxes to build affordable homes for youth. Home ownership necessary for family formation and civil peace, everyone feels stake in society. Need to expand it by getting government gatekeepers out, speeding permits, freeing land, cutting development taxes.
Many projects stalled by lack of certainty and permits; unblock them for immediate benefits in first year for working people getting jobs. Medium-term: tackle inflationary spending, big problem worldwide. People can't afford to live; US national debt at $39 trillion, bigger than GDP.
50 years ago, barber and waitress could buy house with big yard, raise four kids on meat and potatoes. Now accountant and lawyer can't. Due to spending, money printing with nothing backing it—biggest fraud on working class in last hundred years. Printing money insane; looks painless at first. Economy with 10 apples and $10: $1/apple. Double dollars to $20, still 10 apples: $2/apple. Price hasn't gone up; money value has down. US doubled homes from 70 million to 150 million in 55 years, but money supply grew 30 times. Housing costs up 15-fold; generation can't afford homes. Same in Canada. Biggest wealth transfer from working class to elites, have-nots to have-yachts. Washington and Wall Street love it—inflates stocks, bureaucracy; politicians spend, CEOs benefit. Destroys working people. Need hard money; everything should get cheaper.
Takes 60-80% less resources to grow food; grow 4x food on same acre, 4x milk from same cow, 80% less water/fertilizer. Food not cheaper because monetary inflation erases gains. Food not more costly; money has less purchasing power. Swiss don't print money, balanced budgets, almost no deficit, zero inflation, strongest currency (Swiss Franc). Operate like Swiss for better outcomes.
Cut bureaucracy, consultants (consume $26 billion), foreign aid, corporate welfare (business should make money, not take it), money to fake refugees. Love real refugees (wife was one), but no time for pretenders not fleeing danger—e.g., declare as students then refugee status. They're not endangered, just want better life; can't begrudge but can't spend on social services for non-contributors. If not real refugees, shouldn't be brought in as such. Distinguish actual danger (refugee definition) from excess immigration.
Big influx of international students and temporary foreign workers (~1 million/year, per capita 10 million for US) caused housing shortage (26 students in one basement). Unwind by letting work permits/visitor visas expire and encouraging lawful return, not ICE-style. Supported by Canadians: welcoming nation of immigrants and laws. Consensus population growth too fast for 4-5 years.
Like Bill Clinton and Republicans' 1990s Pay-Go law: new spending dollar matched by savings dollar. No net extra spending for 8 years; balanced budget, paid off $400 billion debt. Lapsed 2002; US in deficits 25 years since. Internalizes scarcity—every creature lives with it except politicians using others' money. Politicians propose $100 million ideas without funding source (print/borrow/tax). Law requiring matching savings forces waste-hunting. Make politicians/bureaucrats live with scarcity, not single moms/seniors/small businesses.
1990s: Congress disciplined, people fed up with deficits, imposed scarcity; economy boomed as government restrained, free market roared. 250th anniversary of Declaration of Independence and Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations—first description of free market. Growth since late 1770s 200x faster. Most powerful system for material benefit. Make Canada freest economy in world.
Rational, positive for Canada—not restrictive, no rights infringements. Baffling loss. Canadians evolve, not revolution; keep pushing, will win next election. Critics called ideas scary, said no policies, then stole them pre-election. If government steals ideas, mission accomplished—not for name on door. Told PM: steal my ideas.
Greenies upset over resource extraction environmental impact despite protections, economic uplift for impoverished communities, transformative landscape change.
Canadians sort issues peacefully. Protestants/Catholics tore each other apart in Europe for centuries; in Canada, got along. Muslims, Jews, Christians, Protestants, Catholics, Hindus, Sikhs live on same streets, intermarry. Melting pot; keep cultures while blending into Canadian identity. Wife from Venezuela; house fills with 16 Latinos speaking Spanish, cooking arepas (thought it was "jackass").
Toughen soft justice system, especially bail. Innocent until proven guilty, but repeat offenders (150 priors) shouldn't be released. 200,000 on bail. Consensus for severe restrictions on repeat offenders. Vancouver: 40 guys arrested 6,000 times in one year, released hours later. Tiny group does most crime; incarcerate to cut crime dramatically. US similar: small percentage repeats. No cash bail in California bananas. Fix impoverished neighborhoods with community centers, education—not release hardened criminals (40-50 arrests). Soft policies disaster everywhere tried. Penticton: one guy's release spikes town crime rate.
Rational thinking vs. empty narratives: eating apple in Okanagan (lakes, mountains, dry weather, orchards, vineyards) during casual walk-and-talk with reporter. Staff recorded 15-min video unnoticed; dumped online, went viral 3 weeks later. Embodied issue perfectly—casual, healthy, coincidence.
Canadian maple syrup superfood, better than honey with polyphenols and nutrients—not just guilty pleasure. Canada has maple syrup reserve (like oil reserve; wants oil reserve too). Ambrosia apples from South Okanagan.
Maple syrup and honey are both sugary, but maple syrup is slightly lower in calories, has a lower glycemic index, and contains more minerals like magnesium, manganese, and calcium. Honey is higher in calories and has a stronger impact on blood sugar. Real maple syrup from Canada is the best; fake syrup and adulterated honey (often watered down with corn syrup) are common junk. Put maple syrup with Greek yogurt for protein.
There's so much shit in food these days. Eating clean is key. Supporting RFK Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again initiative because the US spends more on healthcare yet has more chronic illness. Same cereals sold in Canada use natural dyes, but in America, colorful artificial dyes (illegal in Canada) are added for demand.
Processed foods dominate diets with massive preservatives. Guideline: eat real food—real eggs, vegetables, meat, fish. Avoid shelf-stable items (except dried goods like rice and beans). McDonald's Big Mac left out for 10 years looks unchanged; bacteria and mold avoid it due to preservatives that mess with gut bacteria. Empty calories from processed food are terrible. Eating real fruit, vegetables, meat fixes 90% of diet problems.
Baby formula with no expiry date never goes bad, unlike breast milk that must be frozen.
Community is key to fitness. Walk with friends or neighborhood after dinner for 30 minutes to lower glycemic index, improve health. Group support, healthy competition (sports, games, physical activities) helps. Just 20 minutes of daily walking changes lives; add bodyweight squats, push-ups, skipping rope, yoga. Movement meets biological needs, prevents anxiety, overweight, muscle atrophy, bone density loss. Drink more water, stop soda and excess alcohol, avoid processed food and sugar (catastrophic for type 2 diabetes).
Marketing and availability. Avoid grocery store center aisles (shelf-stable processed items easiest to profit from, no refrigeration needed). Sugar industry bribed scientists to blame saturated fat for heart issues and obesity, pushing seed oils (margarine, corn oil, canola oil). Better: tallow or butter. Beef is a superfood with iron, fat, protein, creatine; carnivore diets work well.
Food pyramid reversed in America (was grains at bottom, spiking insulin, causing hunger and fat gain). Cutting carbs into ketosis provides steady energy from fat stores, less sleep needed, no blood sugar ups/downs. Carbs (spaghetti, pizza) feel great then hit like a tranquilizer dart; steak provides satiety, no exhaustion.
Beef is expensive now—twice pork price in Canada. North America has smallest cattle herd since 1951 due to past low prices driving ranchers out, recent demand spike. Dumb narrative blames cows for climate change, ignoring regenerative farming that sequesters carbon. Inflation leads companies to downgrade food quality (strip nutrients, inject garbage) without raising prices visibly. Food engineered to be compulsive (e.g., chips).
Japan has lowest obesity rates (4-6% vs. US 42%) with fish, rice, vegetables; no glyphosate. US wheat has complex glutens for yield, dried with glyphosate (poisons gut bacteria, in most Americans' blood). Trump executive order stopped ban. Italy pasta/bread feels better (no glyphosate). Canada has Roundup-ready corn. California wines: high 90s% test positive for glyphosate (10/10 in one test). Alternatives: laser machines zap weeds, distinguishing from crops.
Japan 2008 law: workplaces measure waists of adults over 40 (BMI starts at 25 for Asians); companies fined, must provide counseling, diet/exercise advice.
Encourage healthy behavior with carrots, not sticks.
Purdue Pharma (Sackler family) lied about OxyContin not being addictive (same as heroin). Destroyed 500,000 lives in US, 50,000 in Canada (more than WWII losses in 10 years). Paid bonuses to distributors based on overdose rates (tracked success in pushing to doctors/pharmacists). $50B US lawsuit payout, but small % of profits. Targeted rust belt unemployment with minor injury pitches.
Mutated to fentanyl (100x heroin potency, stops lungs in 15 seconds). Companies should pay hundreds of billions for treatment. Shift to abstinence-based treatment: counseling, group therapy, sweat lodges for First Nations, physical exercise (e.g., weights motivate via visible biceps growth), jobs. Success story: addict crashed car into wall, entered treatment, started business with 6 employees, now helps others.
Ibogaine from iboga tree (natural psychedelic, no recreation, brutal 24-hour life review rewires brain, stops addiction pathways). One session: 80% never relapse; two sessions: 90s%. Rick Perry (former Texas governor) supports via veterans (PTSD/pain/addiction). Factory reset for addiction.
Ibogaine is being approved in Texas and tried in other places. Ed Clay started a center in Mexico after getting hooked on pills from a back injury. He did one ibogaine session, got clean, and decided to educate and help others. It's very successful, especially for veterans who experienced profound life changes. There's no recreational use or chance of abuse; it's not fun, hard to get people to do it twice, but incredibly effective, even once, much more than other therapies.
Canada faces challenges from opioid aftermath like the US. Fentanyl is Russian roulette; you might not have more than a day to live. It's in everything, including street Xanax and Adderall. High school kid died from street Adderall laced with fentanyl. Mothers at rallies show pictures of healthy kids who died after taking laced pills at parties. Prince and Tom Petty died from fentanyl; both had pain, got addicted to pills, took street drugs from a roadie. Prince had hip pain needing replacement, was in agony.
Pierre Poilievre had family members hooked; one hurt his back in construction, now a waste. Often good people in physically demanding jobs get injured, trust doctors prescribing pain meds. Pathway to addiction is well-known and studied; horrific that companies promoted them as non-addictive. They were crooks; hoping for big settlements like in the US to fund treatment and recovery. Withdrawal is the worst experience but people come out stronger.
Prevention, education, and telling kids this ruins or kills lives is key. Sports prevent trouble by giving outlets and teaching that partying robs vitality and performance. Poilievre avoided trouble through hockey; showed up hungover once and was terrible, learned quickly to stay sharp.
High school football in Texas is gigantic, a religion with packed stadiums like 20,000 in Houston. Poilievre saw this as a 16-year-old, thought it was Cowboys. In Canada, hockey is like that; parents fixated, pushing kids competitively is good for competitive edge even if not pros. Wants more competitive society.
Joe Rogan worked at Boston Athletic Club as 19-year-old fitness instructor in 1986, helped Bobby Orr train. Orr's body wrecked from surgeries, especially knees; scars all up and down, barely walked, limited range of motion, needed help on VersaClimber and racquetball. In his 40s or 50s then, still active. Nicest guy, a legend.
Realized knee surgery is no joke. Poilievre had three knee surgeries, two reconstructions from taekwondo and jiu-jitsu; one ACL from jiu-jitsu. Common jiu-jitsu injuries: knees, backs, necks, shoulders, elbows, often from not tapping due to ego. Smart to tap; treat like basketball, not life or death. Seen forearms snap from armbars, needing plates, chronic injury.
In taekwondo, Rogan knocked out a guy at 19 who never got up; changed outlook, lost lust for hurting people, realized consequences. Didn't know what happened to him. Spinning back kick is incredible; showed GSP in video, GSP used it a lot, landed it. Jon Jones developed it later with Taekwondo coach in Albuquerque, focused on it for heavyweight where he's smaller, needs one-shot stopper to body like getting hit by a car.
Wheel kick to head is fast-twitch, hard to develop later; body matures doing it from kidhood. Spinning back kick typically to body, also thrown to face or jumping to face. Koreans developed high kicks because smaller stature, legs generate more force carrying body mass.
Rick Rufus vs. Muay Thai guy fight changed kickboxing; Rufus broke jaw early, knocked down, but leg chopped, leg busted in nine places, out on stretcher. Americans didn't understand leg kicks; PKA karate banned them because Bill "Superfoot" Wallace had bad knee on one leg, promoted above-waist only. Gene LeBell fought Rufus. Rufus's brother Duke became Muay Thai world champion, top MMA trainer, developed Rufus Sport gym in Milwaukee producing champions like Anthony Pettis; spent time in Thailand.
Thailand is Muay Thai motherland; Phuket and Bangkok amazing with many gyms. Whole strips in Phuket with boxing, CrossFit, Tiger Muay Thai, street food high-protein for trainers (hard-boiled eggs, avocado, chicken). People train 5-6 weeks in clinics recreationally; Rogan's 60-year-old friend Mark went, spars, came back with black eye.
For MMA from scratch: wrestling #1, most important for takedown defense; if taken down and held, can't fight.
Ilia Topuria from Spain, Greco-Roman wrestler turned boxer. Freakishly talented; last three fights knocked out all-time greats: Volkanovski (greatest featherweight), Max Holloway (greatest featherweight), Charles Oliveira (greatest lightweight). Uncommon amongst uncommon. Amazing defense like Philly shell, awareness, pattern recognition, technique, confidence, intelligence, discipline, work ethic, great training. Celebrated victory party night before Oliveira lightweight title fight, predicted and did first-round knockout with one punch.
Impressive recovery from head kick like GSP. GSP took kick, recovered quickly; told Poilievre: after hit, two deep breaths in nose out mouth for oxygen, focus mind. Depends on how kicked; glance vs. direct to neck shuts lights off.
Topuria from Tristar Montreal with Firas Zahabi, brilliant trainer who trained GSP. Prepare for everything; Zahabi hired people to knock GSP out in training, paid more if successful, so fully prepared in danger like octagon. Jon Jones budgets brain for hard hits in camp.
John recognizes many fighters don't think strategically. John famously refuses fights on short notice, wanting full preparation. He turned down a Chael Sonnen fight offered on short notice, despite no chance of Sonnen beating him even on one day's notice. Jones is that superior. Jones hated Sonnen and wanted zero risk. Fighters sometimes hate each other; it depends on the matchup. Most respect opponents, but some rub you wrong or use head games to provoke emotion.
Ilia Topuria apologized to Charles Oliveira before fighting: "I'm sorry. It has to be you. I really like you."
Khabib Nurmagomedov hated Conor McGregor, nearly didn't release the tap.
Conor might return, but only he knows; at 37 (almost 38), he must do it soon. He's jacked, used Mexican supplements post-leg break to recover for Dustin Poirier fight. Got super jacked on steroids, feeling like Superman, but hard to get off as endocrine system recovers from exogenous testosterone. Takes time to normalize; fighters get addicted to the feeling.
Oldest serious competitor: Randy Couture won heavyweight title in his 40s. Started MMA at 34-35 in 1997 as elite wrestler; no pro outlet for amateur wrestling.
Interacted with Gracies. UFC 2 featured Shamrock, Gracie, Dan Severn (later events). Hoist Gracie changed the world with patient style: lay on back, wait, then triangle choke. Severn (100lbs heavier) tapped; thought pinning won like wrestling, but jiu-jitsu choked him.
No one understood jiu-jitsu until Hoist; his dad and uncle introduced it. Carlos Gracie and Helio Gracie founded Brazilian jiu-jitsu; Carlson Gracie too. Pioneers had no-rules fights in 1930s-40s.
Maeda brought it from Japan, taught Gracies. Helio Gracie vs. Kimura (Japanese judoka): Kimura broke Helio's arm with kimura (double wrist lock in catch wrestling); Helio refused to tap.
Helson Gracie (best) fought in big Brazilian arenas at 18. Rorian Gracie founded UFC (pre-Zuffa) to promote jiu-jitsu, open schools. Ideas included moat with crocodiles around cage.
Refined judo ground techniques to razor edge. Helio (145lbs) used technique/leverage, no strength. Hoist (175lbs) beat giant musclebound guys with pure technique; synonymous with jiu-jitsu success.
Gracie Barra huge affiliate network worldwide. Hard to find bad jiu-jitsu gym today due to competition; Austin has 10 amazing schools. 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu (Joe's started school) nearby, added Muay Thai.
Joe trained with Rickson Gracie, Carlson Gracie, Jean Jacques Machado (1998), Eddie Bravo (John Joker's black belt).
Many gyms combine Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu. Rogan commentated early 90s for little pay, losing money. Post-Zuffa purchase (2001), met Dana White via Fear Factor; did UFC 37.5 on Fox Sports as favor, then more. Did first 15 for free to promote, as UFC hemorrhaged money.
Ultimate martial arts expression: test best style. Influenced by Japan (Pride). Evolution 1993-2026 outpaced prior 30,000 years; bridged theory-practice gap.
Bruce Lee ditched ineffective Wing Chun (dryland swimming), clashed with purists. Wing Chun beautiful but Muay Thai beats it standalone; blendable in MMA. Taekwondo ineffective alone but spectacular like Edson Barboza's wheel kick KO on Terry Etim.
MMA mixes Muay Thai, karate, etc. Bruce Lee's philosophy: absorb what's useful. First mixed martial artist (Jeet Kune Do); combined boxing, wrestling, judo (from Gene LeBell), karate, savate. Fought critics disrespecting arts. Krav Maga similar combo, Israeli for street fights (eye gouging, nuts kicks).
Every martial art effective with great instructor. Best standalone: jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, wrestling, western boxing. Krav Maga mixes them, emphasizes real-world (eye pokes effective; Tom Aspinall eye-poked in heavyweight title, two surgeries, fight stopped).
MMA teaches defend everywhere: standing, ground. Specialists excel if elite, e.g., Alex Pereira (greatest kickboxer, two-division champ; middleweight/light heavyweight champ, next heavyweight on White House card). Kickboxing style + takedown defense; stands and up and knocks out.
Jon Jones street anecdote: leaned on guy's motorcycle (Asia?), guy unaware screamed; Jones apologized, ran off hilariously. Jones de-escalates, no need to prove; hands/body weapons, lawsuit risk. Fighters nice IRL; get aggression out.
UFC Winnipeg April; Rogan avoided Canadian UFCs protesting government. Will do all if Poilievre wins PM. Needs Rogan comedy in Canada pre-election. Rogan loves Canada: Massey Hall Toronto, Montreal (started 25), Quebec food (Joe Beef), prairies, Calgary Stampede (greatest outdoor show; Texans attend rodeo).
Cowboy Canada real. Hunted northern Alberta black bear with John and Jen Rivet guides. Alberta hunters; talk of separation won't happen—Albertans patriotic Canadians, hardworking, hearty from cold. Rugged individualism, agriculture, ranches, Saskatchewan grasslands.
Brock Lesnar owns Alberta ranch; big hunter, loves dense woods (wolves, bears, moose), Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise turquoise from melt.
Poilievre loves Calgary/southern Alberta (grew up there).
Canada legalized marijuana 10 years ago (should be US federal; safer than alcohol, personal freedom). No bank robbing/killing neighbors on weed. Not heroin/opiates; helps some sleep (pot gummy). Leave people alone like with whiskey/wine, cheeseburgers, Big Macs.
If you cannot trust a man to govern himself, how can you trust him to govern others?
If human nature too flawed for self-decisions, can't trust it for others.
If human nature is so flawed that people cannot make decisions for themselves, how could you trust human nature to make decisions for other people and impose them on their lives? Who watches the watchmen? We're told we need guidance from people in ivory towers, but who are these angels? They're just human beings like everyone else. Giving them power to impose their will ultimately gets abused.
Even when someone is doing something I disagree with and it would be better if they didn't, the harm from giving me power to impose my decision on them is worse than the benefit of directing them to a better decision.
That's my philosophy.
All the best things in life are simple. We overcomplicate things. Government is way too complicated. We need to get back to simplicity. The greatest speech in the English language was Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: 271 words. Einstein compressed mass and energy into a five-character equation. Bruce Lee advocated simplicity as a virtue. We must pursue simplicity in government: simpler, clearer, easier to manage.
Leaders must have humility. Ego-driven leaders in power impose new rules and laws to make themselves bigger. Believing in freedom means admitting you don't know better for others; they know what's best for themselves. Politicians must trust the people.
Nobody wants to be left alone on their gravestone. Politicians want legacies of imposing grand initiatives. My legacy is letting other people build their own legacies.
The idea of forging a legacy based on controlling people and imposing your will is ludicrous.
History is littered with such people: Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan. They imposed their will and left a legacy, but is that good? No. They're dead. What happens while you're alive matters. Do well and do good for the people.
Your message resonates. If I was Canadian, I would vote for you 100%. It's a privilege to do this work. I'm proud to be Canadian and to bring Canada's message to American friends. This will have a big impact. I hope it moves the needle in Canada. We need to get these tariffs gone. Let's work it out. If you win, I'm coming up there. We're going to get you up earlier. Look at that maple leaf on your new kettlebell every day; it'll work subliminally into your subconscious. You don't have to sell me on Canada—I love Canada and appreciate the gift. Thank you for being here.
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