JRE MMA Show #139 with Bas Rutten

Episode Summary

Main Topics

This episode features legendary MMA pioneer Bas Rutten discussing his recent move to Texas and the state's cultural shifts. The conversation delves into the unique rules and rapid growth of Karate Combat, a full-contact league where Rutten serves as a commentator, and explores the careers of several MMA legends, analyzing their peaks, declines, and the challenges of fighter longevity. A significant portion covers Rutten's personal battles with severe injuries and his innovative O2 Trainer device, which emphasizes the critical importance of diaphragmatic breathing for athletic performance and overall health.

Key Discussion Points

• Life in Texas and California Exodus: Bas Rutten elaborates on his family's decision to relocate to Texas, joining a "mass exodus" from California, citing increasing regulations and population density. He and Joe Rogan commend Texans for their friendliness and community-oriented mindset, contrasting it with the perceived impersonal nature of overcrowded areas, highlighting a significant cultural and lifestyle shift.
• Karate Combat's Unique Rules and Fan Engagement: Rutten details the distinct rules of Karate Combat, including a 5-second ground and pound period and 45-degree banked walls, which lead to dynamic action and unique knockouts, as seen with fighters like Elijah Everill and Ross Levine. The league, founded by Wall Street individuals, is innovating with a cryptocurrency token and "up-gaming" system, allowing fans to own tokens, bet on fighters without losing their stake, and even vote on rule changes, such as the potential inclusion of leg kicks to the thigh.
• MMA Legends, Peak Performance, and Retirement: The discussion highlights the careers of MMA greats like BJ Penn, Anderson Silva, and Chuck Liddell, emphasizing their incredible dominance in their primes but also the common struggle of fighting past their peak. They touch on the "Sports Illustrated curse" for promising athletes and praise Khabib Nurmagomedov as a rare example of a champion who retired undefeated at the absolute top of his game, valuing family over continued fighting.
• Bas Rutten's Injuries and Recovery Journeys: Rutten shares the harrowing story of a severe neck injury sustained from a stunt on the "Lights Out" TV show, leading to significant nerve damage, arm atrophy, and the inability to even pull a gun trigger. He discusses undergoing stem cell therapy in Panama, which surprisingly lowered his cholesterol by 70 points but couldn't unblock the nerve, contrasting with Joe Rogan's successful stem cell recovery from a full rotator cuff tear.
• The O2 Trainer and the Science of Breathing: Bas introduces his O2 Trainer, a device designed to strengthen breathing muscles. He passionately explains that 95% of people breathe incorrectly (chest breathing instead of diaphragmatic breathing), and how training the diaphragm and intercostals can significantly enhance endurance by delaying "metabolic reflex" (blood stealing from limbs by tired breathing muscles). He cites personal success in curing his own severe asthma and the endorsement of Olympic athletes.

Notable Moments

• The Apartment Noise Incident: Bas Rutten vividly recounts the night before a fight when persistently loud neighbors, ignoring his polite requests and even police intervention, led him to stealthily cut their apartment's power fuses, ensuring he could finally get some sleep. This showcases his intense, "obsessive compulsive" focus leading up to a match.
• Joe Rogan's Penis Injury: Joe Rogan shares a candid, graphic story about sustaining a direct knee strike to his penis during a Jiu-Jitsu session, resulting in internal bleeding and blood in his urine. His unconventional self-diagnosis involved "jerking off" to ensure functional integrity before considering medical attention.
• Bas Rutten's Plastic Nose: Bas reveals a unique surgical alteration: a plastic surgeon friend replaced his frequently broken nose bone with a silicone implant. This "plastic nose" can no longer be broken, offering a practical solution to a common fighter's injury, enabling him to avoid future breaks.

Key Takeaways

This episode provides a unique blend of personal anecdotes and professional insights into the world of combat sports, guided by Bas Rutten's extensive experience. Listeners gain a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape of martial arts, the immense physical and mental fortitude required of elite fighters, and the critical importance of specialized training, including often-overlooked aspects like breathing mechanics. The conversation highlights the relentless pursuit of improvement, adaptability to new rules and technologies, and the profound impact of injuries and recovery on a fighter's career and post-fighting life.