BTL | Topuria vs. Gaethe HEATING UP, UFC White House, Dana White Predicting Super Bowl Numbers

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**Mike Heck** (1:00)
You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network.

**SPEAKER_4** (1:09)
Live from MMA Fighting Studios, this is Between the Links. And now, your host.

**Mike Heck** (1:23)
The iconic voice of Esther Lin welcomes you to a brand new edition of BTL. Happy Tuesday to us all. We are just days away, ladies and gentlemen. Finally, UFC White House is gonna be on our TV screens, or laptops, or tablets, or wherever the kids are watching these days. It is going down in Washington, DC. Jose Young's already there, boots on the ground, recording some Anything But Fighting with some of the participants. There's a lot of interviews going out. One more coming out at 2 p.m. Eastern, I believe, with the great Derrick Lewis. And a lot to talk about here with all of you. This is the People's Edition of BTL. The Q&A is here. And normally we would have Jed Mishu here, but let's be honest, he's a little bit of a traitor. He's on another show right now. So stepping in is a man who will never let me down. He will never go on another show while an MMA Fighting show is going on. I kid, we love Jed, but my best friend is here. What a treat this is, the great Alexander K. Lee to answer your questions. Hey K, how are you?
Vibe levels, vibe check, hype levels for Sunday, or Sunday evening, excuse me, on the South Lawn, UFC White House.

**Alexander K. Lee** (2:36)
This is great, my best friend. First of all, normally I have to wait like a whole week for, you know, to do on to the next one with you. So this is great. We're just two days later after a riveting and extremely memorable UFC Vegas card. And I would have had to wait even longer because I think you and I are planning to do like a Monday show. So like Sunday to Monday, if we're doing a show with my best friend, horrible. So very excited to be here on Between the Links to talk about the card that's happened, the card that's coming up, whatever else is going on, RAF.
My vibes, man, like really high, really high. I think at this point, I think we're all exhausted with the discourse around the card and you know what it means. Culturally and politically and all that stuff matters. Very important. We can talk about that today for sure. You know, it has to be mentioned, you know.
But just from looking at the card, like 10 out of 10, 10 out of 10 I'm so excited. Maybe I just want to get it over with. You know, maybe there's a part of me that's like, at least it's finally reality and we can just do it and talk about the fights and enjoy the fights. So firmly 10 out of 10 I actually really, really like this card and I'm optimistic that things will go well, whether they end up having to tweak their plans on Fight Night or not.

**Mike Heck** (3:46)
I'm with you on a lot of what you just said.
The thing I keep hearing from like Dana White and others is like, this is the sphere on steroids. I totally disagree with that. This is UFC 300 on steroids and it's just the build and the anticipation and we're going to blow your socks off, but the socks are pretty much on even though it's a really good card. Like it's just one of these types of situations where like even with UFC 300, we were so excited for it, but we were just ready to be done talking about it. And not in, but as far as like the fights go and watching the event and doing a watch party, like I'm pumped. I'm pumped. Like I think it's going to be a really fun watch. Now there's going to be some things we don't like, obviously, and that's okay.