THE CAGE
THREE MONTHS LATER
Sorry to bother you, but it's important.
So…
You recognize this guy?
Is that the one?
I think so.
How'd they find him?
With the, uh… the CCTV cameras. Outside.
They thought he didn't look Swedish.
They looked into him and realized he was from France.
Like you.
So they made the connection.
They tried to get into contact with you, but you don't pick up anymore.
So they know who he is?
No, they don't.
That's why they sent us the photo.
Tell him.
Well, I thought the guy looked familiar.
I knew I'd seen him somewhere before. I knew the guy's face.
And you know me.
So I did my own investigation.
And I found this.
Same guy, 100%, right?
Yeah, I'd say so.
Where'd you get the photos?
Ibrahim's social media platforms.
This guy is at all his fights.
All of them.
Hang on a second.
Ibrahim's an asshole. Obviously, he's a bad guy.
But you're saying that he might have… been involved with what happened to Boss?
Actually, it's… it's even more complicated.
Boss had a huge file on Ibrahim.
Going back all the way to when he was still training at MMA Fighters.
So, one night, we were at the club with Boss.
And this woman came in. And her face was all smashed up.
She looked awful.
She was bruised, broken nose, uh, swollen face, her lip was split.
It was horrible.
And this woman was, uh, going out with Ibrahim.
And she told us Ibrahim was the one who had beaten her up that night.
Boss, you know, he wanted to help.
He tried to get her to go to the police but…
she didn't want to. She was terrified of him.
You can imagine.
She thought he'd find out, and that he'd hurt her again.
Or he might make her look nuts on his socials.
Boss went crazy after that. He went off.
He kicked Ibrahim out of the club.
And he took photos of her.
You know, that way he was basically saying,
"Ibrahim, I got you."
“If you do this again, I'm going straight to the cops. And the media.“
So you're saying…
it was Ibrahim who got this guy to follow us and stab Boss.
As far as we're concerned.
-Then we should go to the cops. -Yeah. Of course.
Yeah, for sure we'll go to the police.
But you know how long this sort of thing takes? Hm?
An investigation, evidence, prosecution?
And what are we doing?
Huh?
This guy's living his best life
while Boss is in a coma!
This shitbag's fighting at ARES now!
If he wins the belt, it's over! Bam! To the UFC!
What's he gonna do? Huh?
Every single day. Every single interview. He'll be disrespecting the club. And Boss!
Look at me! This is important!
He'll be disrespecting Boss!
And we're just sitting around?
We should go.
I ruined your night, guys. I'm really sorry about that. Forgive me.
But I thought you should know. You had to know, Taylor.
You didn't forget anything? You've got your passport?
Yeah, I'm good.
I really hope things work out for you over there.
The truth is…
I don't know what to expect.
But it's what Boss had planned for me.
I know, yeah.
Come here.
-Mm. -I have to keep training.
He booked me in with one of the best coaches in the world.
I know. And Bilal's right. We can't let Ibrahim get away with it.
Thanks, Elena.
Take care of yourself, okay?
I'm gonna miss you.
I'm gonna miss you too.
I’M PROUD OF YOU
IT'S TOO SOON TO SAY THAT
-Thank you. -You're welcome.
Hello.
-Hi. Are you here for the class? -Yes.
Go ahead.
AUGUST 17, SPECIAL CLASS SIX GUN GIBSON, COACH OF JON JONES
Welcome, Taylor.
I'm glad you're here.
Thank you so much for having me.
Don't thank me, thank Boss.
He's very important in my life.
He'd always planned for the three of us to train together.
Unfortunately, he can't be here today. We're going to honor him, okay?
I hope I'm up to the challenge.
Good. Hips. Hips. Hips. Hips.
Let me see some head movement.
Let's go.
Good! That's it, guys!
Circle up. Circle up.
Thank you for a good day of training.
I'll see you guys tomorrow. Get some rest.
Have a good night.
Good night.
Thank you, guys.
Good night, guys.
Sorry, coach.
It's probably the jetlag.
Uh…
I was not my best today.
It's okay. Come back in better shape tomorrow.
Yeah. Thanks.
-Good night. -Bye.
Hey, babe.
Figured I'd send a voice memo. Uh, you know, I better try to stay focused.
So anyway, I just… I wanted to say it's been amazing.
Uh, super good session. And tomorrow, it's gonna be even better.
Yeah, so… I'm thinking of you and making you proud.
Anyhow, I'll call you when I can.
I'm sending a kiss. I miss you.
Talk soon.
Hey, Bilal! So I'm all safe in Mexico.
In fact, I'm gonna send photos of the gym. You're gonna… You're gonna lose your shit.
And…
You should know I'm thinking about Boss.
'Cause I know it's because of him
that I'm here.
I'm doing this for him.
I can't stop, I… I have to do this. I don't have a choice.
It'll be okay.
Well, I should, uh, send you the photos. Okay?
Later, man.
I need help!
It's hands up, more head movement, work off your jab.
Sorry, coach?
-You guys go on. -Can we talk?
Of course.
I wanna apologize.
I’m ashamed.
But…
I think it’s over for me.
I can’t fight anymore. I can’t return to a good level anymore.
It’s very hard to admit,
but…
I don’t think I’m a fighter anymore.
Okay. I’m sorry to hear that.
But, if your mind is made up, and you’re comfortable with your decision,
there’s nothing else I can say.
I’m really sorry.
Would you wait a moment?
I’ll have somebody drop you off at the airport.
I promised Boss I'd take care of you.
Okay. Thanks.
Hello. The airport, please.
Bro, you sure you wanna do that?
Yeah.
I’m going back to France.
Hm.
If you ask me,
we’ve got two choices.
Either we can just start this car right now.
I’ll take you back to the airport.
You’ll be giving up on all of your dreams,
what you promised to your coach,
or you could follow me.
Let me take you to a different gym.
But if I do that, you better go hard, man.
You gotta give it all you got.
Even if it feels impossible.
Uh, excuse me…
who are you?
I’m Jon Jones.
My coach told me your story.
I really think I can help you out.
But you gotta want it, man.
The choice is yours.
So what is it gonna be?
GOLDEN GYM PANCHO ROSALES
Well, Taylor.
Welcome to the gym.
You ready for this?
Yeah.
Come on.
Taylor.
I want you to look around. Look these guys in the eyes.
Do you see it?
That’s what you lost, Taylor. Something we call the Eye of the Tiger.
You ever watched those Rocky movies?
No.
Just Creed.
-Just Creed? -Yeah.
You’re a youngster.
Well, that’s what Apollo Creed said to Rocky anyways.
And he was right.
You look around this gym,
you see a bunch of young men and women with that rage,
with that dawg, that fire in their eyes.
It’s an obligation to fight.
But not only fight,
these guys got an obligation to win.
This gym is their only chance at a good life.
It’s their only choice.
That’s why I brought you here today, Taylor.
We gotta find that look again. We gotta get it back.
Yeah, but…
I’m not sure I can.
Mm.
I’m not even sure I ever had that look.
Come with me. All right?
Right now, what you’re going through, is only a test.
And unfortunately, it’s something that we all have to go through in life.
Right now, you probably feel like your world’s coming to an end.
Like there’s really nothing you can do to
get out of this situation and just start making yourself feel better.
Let me tell you.
There’s always light at the end of the tunnel
for people who don’t give up on themselves.
Almost always.
I’ve been through some crazy stuff in my career and in my life.
My mom died at a young age.
My sister died when she was really young.
I made some huge mistakes throughout my life, man. Big public mistakes, man.
Lost friends and…
coaches and teammates, and…
And sometimes in my life I felt like the whole world hated me.
Like you today, man.
I was filled with doubt.
There’s times I thought I’d never make it back.
But we all saw how that went down.
Yeah.
You came back.
I did.
You won.
You’re the greatest champion in UFC history.
That’s right, man.
It doesn’t have to be over.
We all know what today is.
Favorite day of the week. Today is spar day.
I want each of you gentlemen to go with Taylor.
Alex, you’re gonna be round one.
Round two, three, and four.
You all know my rules.
I expect you guys to fight hard, and fight smart.
Gentlemen, ready?
All right, let’s have a good fight. Round one, let’s go.
Hands up, Taylor.
Watch the shot.
Keep it creative.
Time. Break, break, break.
Michael, you’re in.
Good job, Taylor.
Taylor, you gotta keep moving. Finish that shot! Finish that shot!
Good job.
Alex, you’re in.
Nice, work that jab. Nice shots. Nice shots.
That’s what I’m talking about!
Great job!
Here we are!
Keep it going.
Good job. Good job.
Wonderful! That’s the Eye of the Tiger!
Good job!
That’s what I’m talking about, Taylor!
Woo!
That’s what I’m talking about!
Nice shot! Finish that shot! Finish!
Ground and pound! Finish him!
-That’s what we're talking about! -Come on!
Nice! Nice!
Lock it up. Elbow.
Two elbows.
Beautiful. Three.
Beautiful.
Combo.
One, two. Okay, go one, two, one, two.
Nice!
All right, gentlemen. Here we go.
Round one. Train smart. Go.
Open up those kicks, Taylor.
Nice.
Hands up.
Keep that jab going.
Nice.
Here it is, Taylor. The shot's open. Finish that shot!
Nice. Beautiful work, man.
That’s what I’m talking about. That’s the look.
That’s the Eye of the Tiger.
That’s what we need.
Open up that ground and pound now. Watch that leg.
Awesome job. Awesome job.
Beautiful, Taylor.
Beautiful.
Break.
Wow.
That’s what I’m talking about. That’s the look that we need.
Beautiful round. You’re on the right path.
Keep up the good work, Taylor.
-Awesome job. Awesome job. -Thank you. Thank you.
What an incredible opening for Taylor Keita! The spinning back fist!
He's getting close. Picking up speed.
Giving it all he's got.
He's got Ibrahim on the ropes, Antoine!
-He can't take much more! -Oh my goodness! What a round!
Yo, Taylor!
That's good for today, bud.
Thank you so much.
It's great watching you train.
I really think you're on the right track.
Gotta stay at it, though.
You’ve got a lot more work to do.
Okay.
Thank you so much.
-You’re welcome, Taylor. -Thank you.
Keep at it.
Thank you.
I'm excited to face Ibrahim.
I’m gonna stay and train a few more days.
And when I get back, I'll be ready.
I love you. Talk to you soon.
This is the long-awaited fight.
The battle for the belt. Taylor Keita has his eyes on the title,
-but first he has to face off once again… -The Destroyer.
…against Ibrahim Ibara, the most dangerous fighter on the French circuit.
-How are you? -Great, thanks.
-Could I have your autograph, please? -Of course.
It's great to see you again.
I'm sure the comeback's going to be awesome.
-I guarantee it. -Thanks. That's great.
Excuse me, buddy. Sorry. So? You at weight?
We're good, I'm at weight.
Nice, that's great. Here. Tickets for your mom.
Oh! You're the best!
-Did your bud come through or what? -Thanks, man. Happy to!
Hey, this is something else, yo! That's some legendary shit.
-You want me to sign it? -Of course. What're you talking about?
Sofiane, you can't be serious.
The face-off's in ten minutes and I need my shorts.
Apologies, we're behind schedule.
There are like 300 people waiting out front.
Wait, wait. I'll show you.
Ta-da!
Your own personalized fight pack!
-Not too shabby. -Look at his face.
Yeah, they're great, don't you think?
-Well, bad news. -What?
-Face-off's canceled. -Canceled?
-Ibrahim doesn't wanna do it. -That's impossible.
-It's a full house, what's he playing at? -I know, but…
Ibrahim, tomorrow the UFC matchmaker is going to be at the fight,
and word on the street is that the winner is probably going to get a contract.
That must be pretty good motivation, no?
No. My only motivation is to beat the shit out of him.
If it gets me to the UFC, even better.
But what I want is to humiliate him.
I'm going to the UFC anyway.
Just a few minutes from now you'll see Taylor again for the face-off.
-How do you think it's going to go? -No, there won't be a face off.
I wouldn't be able to hold back. So for his safety, I'm not going.
When we're face to face for real, I'll show that son of a bitch who's boss.
Okay, well, that's something.
Hey.
You know he's just talking smack?
Come on, man. You know what he's all about.
No, no. I know.
He's just bragging, as usual.
Exactly.
-Stay focused on the fight. -That's what I'll do.
Come on! Focus, champ, focus. Okay?
Well, why don't we say 9:00 for the last training session?
-See you at nine. -See you there.
Hey, Mom. So, uh, I've been trying to call you all day.
No luck yet.
Anyway, I've, uh, got two VIP tickets. For you and Régis.
Front row, next to the cage, you know, it's the very best seats.
So let me know if you wanna pick them up at the front desk or,
you know, if you'd rather I send someone over to drop them off.
So, yeah.
Look, I'm… Well, I'm happy you'll be there. Okay?
You can call me back whenever. No worries, Mom.
Love you.
MOM: THANKS, SON. I'LL PICK THEM UP TOMORROW NIGHT.
One. Let's go. One. Come on. Knee up.
-Yes. Keep going, combo. -Guard up.
Yeah, that's great, man. Nice.
Yeah! Yeah, good. Looking good.
Hey! Can you stop with that?
You're the one with the fight. I can do whatever I want.
Hey, stay focused. Guard up, man. Let's do this.
All right. Two.
And one. Let's go. Looks good. Come on.
Combo, go. Again.
Yeah. Yeah. Nice.
Hup. Good.
Come on. Right, then elbow.
Knee.
Ooh, nice.
You look in good shape.
But you should take it easy before you hurt yourself.
You came all this way just to watch the fight?
I'm not here to watch.
But to be in your corner.
That is, if you'll have me.
Of course I will.
Thanks, coach.
Hey, everyone.
-I'm gonna start crying. -Georges, hi.
I love you, Georges.
Right.
I've admired you forever.
I love you too. Okay.
-Georges, hi. -Elena.
-Georges. -Niko.
Hey, man! How are you?
-Doing great. -It's been a long time.
-Same here. -Wow. How you been?
All right. Breathe.
So?
Nobody's picked up the tickets.
MOM
Maybe she's showing up later.
I need your bike.
What are you, crazy? Your fight's in two hours!
You're not even allowed out.
Hey! I've been trying to get a hold of her since this morning, and nothing.
Maybe those guys went back to beat her up, Niko!
We'll call again and keep trying.
We can send someone over, but don't go anywhere.
-I'm not gonna wait, not gonna do nothing. -You can't leave!
I need to know what's going on.
-Just please, give me your keys. -Taylor.
Give me your keys, please.
I'm begging you.
Thanks.
What about GSP? And Elena? What do I tell them?
I had an emergency. I'll be back before the fight.
The plan is… The key for Taylor tonight is to use his mobility and speed.
To not stay in front of Ibrahim's face.
Come on Taylor, pick up…
Ibrahim's the kind of fighter who gets very emotional.
He gets carried away very often.
-Hello? -Taylor.
You understand that if something happens to you, it's over.
I can't just get back in the cage like nothing happened.
-Taylor's got incredible heart. -Unbelievable.
What're you gonna do if you get to your mom's, and there's a whole crew waiting?
-I think we should call the police. -No, no. We can't call the cops!
I'm gonna be careful, I promise! But I have to know what's going on.
-Just watch yourself, okay? -Okay.
-Taylor's at the top of his game. -So?
What's the deal?
Oh! How's it going? What are you doing here?
Where's my mom?
Isabelle! Your kid's here!
Mom?
I've been calling you all day. Where are you going? What is all this?
Keep it down, would you? Your mother will explain, calm down.
Hey! Don't talk to me right now!
Mom, you better explain or I'm gonna lose it!
Yeah, I know! Just calm down! Okay? You wanna know? I'll tell you everything!
Majorca?
What is this, Mom? What are you doing?
-You were gonna disappear? -Don't start, Taylor!
I was really looking forward to tonight, seeing you there.
Do you know how proud I'd have been if you'd come?
But you wanted to use the fight to get away so I couldn't bother you?
Right?
What did I ever do to you?
You don't have to be so dramatic, okay?
It just happened.
Don't make a bigger fool of yourself than you already have.
Régis has a lot of problems with people here, you know that.
We didn't say anything so we could protect you.
How are you paying for this?
Well, we put some money aside, we've been saving up.
-You always told me you had nothing. -Hey!
You think it's easy for a mother to ask her son for money?
I always gave you everything I had.
Those little bills you'd drop off? You think that's enough for us?
You know how much this house costs?
Of course you don't. You never paid for anything.
Be honest.
The 30,000, would you have found it if we hadn't pushed you?
Pushed me?
You got beat up by those guys?
Right?
You get it now?
Do you understand how far I had to go to get you to help your mother?
Do you understand that I had to ask Régis
to make sure that you wouldn't doubt my story?
-You hit my mom? -Hey!
Take it easy! I asked him to make it look real!
Are you insane?
Why'd you…
-Why'd you do that to me? -Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
I put a roof over your head. I fed you.
Do you know how much I sacrificed so you could have a life?
When you couldn't even be bothered to get a passing grade?
I was just so embarrassed by my kid!
You were nothing but trouble, Taylor!
So if you wanna think I'm a bad mother, go ahead, I don't care.
But it wasn't easy having you as a son.
Yeah.
I lied about the money. So what?
We had our problems and we needed them gone.
It's not like I had a son with a good education
who could help me get outta here.
You and your boxing.
It's all you're ever good for.
I just had to motivate you.
That's what I did.
You see? It worked.
And your whining's all the thanks I get?
In the end, you helped your mother out.
No point in gettin' angry.
ELENA: WHERE ARE YOU? I'M WORRIED. CALL ME BACK. LOVE YOU
Go on, just let us finish packing up. Won't you be late to your fight?
I'm fine, I'm coming.
♪ All I wanted was a new Mercedes ♪
♪ Bending off the corner Whipping out the lot, I got it ♪
♪ Women love me but the niggas hate it ♪
♪ But how can I lose When I came from the bottom? ♪
♪ Lord knows ♪
♪ Nigga, Lord knows, nigga, Lord knows Nigga, Lord knows ♪
Relax.
That's right, keep your hands high up. Good.
♪ Nigga, Lord knows, nigga, Lord knows Nigga, Lord knows ♪
♪ Uh, Lord knows I'm filthy rich ♪
♪ All this ice is like fifty bricks Rap niggas throwing hissy fits ♪
♪ I give my bitch a stack Just for a Christmas gift ♪
♪ And my bitch so bad… ♪
And breathe…
Go. Breathe. Yes.
♪ …crib with the maid And with the picket fence ♪
♪ I'm with niggas that mad We taking risks for this ♪
♪ I'm talking risky business Flick the wrist ♪
♪ Lord knows that I repent for this ♪
♪ But Lord knows if I get penned for this I prolly won't get home until I'm 56 ♪
♪ They say I'm the Messiah You rappers is liars ♪
♪ I sign up at church Just to rap at the choir… ♪
Again!
♪ The middle of the church at your wake I'm lying, I just came from jail ♪
Good!
Hard!
♪ Sharpened my iron, I did my push-ups I roared with the lions, like hold up ♪
Yes! Again!
♪ I'm back in this bitch And I'm back on my shit ♪
♪ Man, they tell me be humble I'm cocky as hell ♪
Yes.
Good!
Ha!
Here we go! Tonight's main event.
The fight everyone's been waiting for.
This is a fight between two men who clearly hate each other's guts.
They've got a score to settle,
and they're going to settle it tonight in the ARES cage.
Facing off in that cage are two men who want to hurt each other.
This is a deeply personal fight.
Taylor "The Outsider" Keita!
I don't know if it feels the same way at home, but the energy in here--
The energy is crackling between the fighters.
Their animosity in the cage right there with them.
-And now, his opponent… -Taylor!
…fighting out of the red corner.
He holds a flawless record of 12 wins, no losses and a draw.
He stands at six feet one inches tall.
Weighed in at the limit of 171 pounds.
Your reigning, defending, welterweight ARES champion,
Ibrahim "The Destroyer'' Ibara!
Yeah!
It’s a title on the line.
Your main referee for this fight…
The contenders are moving to the center for their face-off, overseen…
Gentlemen, you're fighting for the world title for five rounds of five minutes.
-You're not making it past the first. -We'll see.
The look in their eyes is ferocious.
Respect the rules. Touch gloves. Back to your corners.
The ferocity looks good on Taylor.
He's been criticized for lack of aggression.
Right, for being a bit too gentle.
Is it possible that he found his inner demon during his time with Jon Jones?
Not to mention that he's got Georges St-Pierre
in his corner tonight too.
The fight will take place over five five-minute rounds.
Grab your leg and turn!
An incredible kick from Taylor!
Another one! Another one!
Incredible technique. Ibrahim's brought him down to the ground.
Keep going, push harder! Push!
You stay tight! Keep it tight!
Things are moving quickly.
Roll! Right now, Taylor.
Taylor's attempting to get out of there. Good!
Oh, the knee!
Incredible!
-It's a very strong start. -Hands up!
Ibrahim isn't being left out, he's returning the hits.
Keep going! Do it again Ibra!
A massive uppercut sends Taylor reeling!
That was good.
Taylor counters.
Both fighters are performing quite admirably in there.
Ibrahim is being careful now with a high guard.
He's finally showing some respect for Taylor's reach and power.
Stay away from the fence! No!
Oh, careful!
Ibrahim going for the takedown.
That's not good. Not looking good for Taylor.
Crashing down to the mat!
Ibrahim put him flat on his back!
-Now, a side triangle choke. -Grab your leg and turn!
Taylor's going for leverage here with his leg.
Now that's very interesting! Very nice indeed.
Protect your neck!
He's got his back. Great transition from Ibrahim.
I don't think we considered him this good on the ground.
Yes, not bad at all.
And now it's an armlock. Careful!
Ibrahim's got Taylor in a terrible position! That's…
-Ooh! He could break his arm! -Rip it off!
Taylor attempting to escape. Okay, roll, roll.
Roll, Taylor. He has to roll out. And he's done it!
Go, go, go, Taylor!
Great defense. That's incredible to see.
Wow. This match just keeps getting better and better.
Yeah! Again! Get in there!
Taylor's picking up the pace, striking faster!
All right, yes!
End of the round. Oh my goodness.
-It ain't over, you little shit! -Back to your corners.
You can feel the electricity in the air. Just incredible.
The ref was forced to break them up.
Let's hope we don't see anything nasty.
Although anything's possible in this fight.
In this fight, anything could happen.
Get it together.
Hey! Look at me. Listen, Ibrahim.
Next round, take him out. You're the champ.
Drink a bit. Drink.
Stick to the game plan.
Don't put our back against the fence. Stay in motion. Keep moving.
Make sure you stay up.
It's working well. Stay in movement. Movement!
-Good, champ? -Come on, Taylor!
Go out there and kick his ass now.
Coaches out!
Let's go.
-Come on, Taylor! -Let's go!
You got this champ, go!
It's a high-stakes fight. One with history.
The second round is underway. Okay. Five rounds, five minutes each.
This is a title match. Remember, the belt is up for grabs.
Ibrahim's the first to strike here.
True, but Taylor's not letting himself get pushed around.
There it is. Big hook to the head.
Keep on him.
But he's back on his feet, looking good.
Control the center!
He's got to keep moving, or else he's dead.
Yeah, come on!
Good. He's taking space. And there's the hook.
-They're both boxing. -Good, Taylor!
Keep your hands up, Ibra. Come on!
Don't let him get you!
-Yes! -Get him, Taylor! All right!
Get in there! You're in charge!
Keep moving! Don't back up in a straight line!
Get outta there!
Taylor cannot stay there a second longer.
He's got him up against the cage now.
Yeah! Go, go, go!
-A flurry of blows. -Get outta there, go!
Taylor's defending himself well. But for how long?
He's gotta get out of there if he's gonna have a chance.
Oh!
-Yeah! -Whoa! Down to the ground!
Incredible! A follow-up kick.
Not much power behind that kick.
-All right. -Beautiful transition.
-Legendary! -Intense!
Very nice! He rolled over.
Taylor's going for his ankle, changing tactics.
Trying to break the ankle. It's looking tight.
Ibrahim's coming up now. Careful!
Harder, Taylor! Try again!
…on the ground has opened him up to a new attack from Ibrahim.
-Very nice defense. -Both looking to get up now.
Kill him!
-Illegal hit by Ibrahim! -And he's at it again!
Why would he do that in this fight?
Get back! Medic! Medic, now!
Yes, Ibrahim! Good job!
He should've been disqualified the first time.
-What's he thinking? -In a fight with these stakes?
Stay down!
Back to your corner now!
What the hell is happening? He can't do this!
Medic!
Taylor Keita was in the process of getting up.
Three points of contact with the ground, no knee strikes or kicks to the head.
-And that's exactly what happened. -Total bullshit.
Right. Sit up. Nice and easy.
Let's see if the medic will allow Taylor to continue the fight.
Take your time.
Are you experiencing any intense pain in your neck or your head?
Any blurred vision?
No?
He'll need a second to recover before he gets up.
If it's obvious he's stunned. The medic could put a stop to the fight.
Do you feel any weakness or burning sensation
in your legs, or in your arms?
-Mm-mm. -Okay.
Total piece of shit, man.
I wanna keep fighting.
Apart from the bleeding, you aren't showing any signs
that would make me stop the fight. But I advise against continuing.
If Taylor doesn't continue,
and the referee determines the hit was illegal, Ibrahim could be disqualified.
And that would be a win for Taylor.
Honestly, as a fighter,
I would have to say there's a case for quitting.
For walking away.
And that's because now, clearly, Taylor's in bad shape.
A knee strike like that is gonna have consequences.
Even if he continues,
the hit probably took a couple of years off his life.
Can he risk another?
Taylor!
You don't have to continue.
If he's disqualified, you'll win.
How're you feeling?
I'll keep going.
Okay.
Okay. Don't move. Stay there.
-You! Come here! -What's this?
-One point off! -What's the issue?
-One point deducted. -What the hell? He's knocked out.
-One point. One point off! -Come on! What the hell is that?
-The decision's come down. -There it is, a penalty point for Ibrahim.
-Clearly deserved. -Of course! The knee cut Taylor open!
Like you said, not only is he stunned, he's injured!
Not only that. The open wound's gonna hamper his visibility.
Definitely at a disadvantage now.
Taylor. Why're you doing this?
You won. The belt, all of it. You had it.
What more do you want?
I don't wanna win like this.
It's not about the belt. I'm here to finish him. Okay?
He'd just say… He'd probably say we stole the fight.
I can beat him now.
-Well, let's get to it. -Yeah.
The fight can go on when the bleeding stops.
-What do we do? -I'm gonna kill this fuck.
-There. -I'm gonna mess him up.
He's already done. Yeah? You messed up his head pretty good.
You get it? He's not coming back.
-Next round, he'll be done. -Yeah.
You run at him, you knock him out.
He won't be able to finish. Look.
-I got him. -Yeah.
He'll get it.
One minute. Just a minute.
-Okay, that's good for me. -I'm good?
Taylor, listen to me.
Stay off the ground, protect your eye, and give him hell!
You got this, champ! Get him!
Okay.
And don't forget what he did to Boss.
We're back, all right!
Let's go! Get in there, Taylor!
Ready? Ready?
Fight.
-That side knee was too close! -Great dodge by Taylor.
They're trading blows. Ibrahim strikes again.
The fight's personal, you can feel it!
-Trading hits! Blow for blow! -You'll never win, you son of a bitch.
He's already done! Just knock him out now!
I think Taylor should be looking to limit damage here.
-Otherwise he won't be able to keep going. -Good defense.
-Great work from Taylor.
I know what you did to Boss. And I know why.
-Great jab from Taylor. -Nice!
-Hit on Taylor. -Power of Ibrahim on display.
It's hit after hit in there!
Let's go, Taylor!
-Whoa! -A massive kick!
Finish him off!
He has to get back up.
Kick up now!
Yeah!
Taylor's bringing the aggression now!
Good reason. It seems to be working for him.
I'm gonna knock you out, then call the cops.
-Another one! -Huge body shot!
Wow! And there's the knee strike!
Oh! The counter! What a counter!
Finish him! Finish him!
That's it! Take him out! Make him bleed.
-"The Destroyer!“ -Put up your guard!
Stop! That's the round.
Saved by the bell! Unbelievable!
Oh my goodness, Antoine! What a fight!
Taylor saved at the last second!
I don't know. Incredible.
At this point, they've got to be sweating in Taylor's corner.
It's not over. It's not over. Come on. Come on.
Come on, Taylor. Let's go.
Taylor! Taylor! Taylor! Taylor!
-Taylor! -Yeah, Taylor.
Taylor! Taylor! Taylor! Taylor! Taylor!
Let's go, yeah!
Let's go! Yeah, come on!
The crowd is going absolutely wild.
Ready? Fight!
We're off! Round four, and you can see the fatigue setting in.
Keep pushing forward.
Whoa! Hit him with a front kick.
-Don't stand in front of him! -Get out of there! Move, Taylor!
Wow! Taylor's back is up against the cage.
-Get your back off the fence, Taylor! -Now!
Taylor's lost his focus. You can see it.
-Move! -Tough break.
I wonder if he recovered.
-Doesn't look like it. -Don't let him in close!
Hey! Stay aggressive. Stay aggressive!
He needs to keep his guard up!
-Yeah. -Another hit!
Ibrahim's got him on the back foot. He needs to hold out.
Yeah, come on! Another one!
He can do it. Taylor, come on! Let’s go!
Pummeled by Ibrahim, he has to do something.
Yeah! Yeah!
He has to get back on the offensive or it's over!
-Grab him! Grab him! Yes! -Good move from Taylor.
That's it! He's got him!
It looks like he’s trying to hold him!
Let some of his rage burn out.
Right. That famous Ibrahim aggression.
They’re neck and neck despite Ibrahim’s power.
Stop! That's the round.
So much heart.
The man is running on force of will. It's beautiful to see.
That said, I'm not sure Taylor can come back.
Hey. Listen, Taylor. We're losing the fight. We're losing!
But we can make it work.
Taylor, look at me! He's tired too.
He's exhausted. It's not over yet.
He'll make a mistake. Watch for it.
Find the opening.
Forget Ibrahim! You're fighting yourself.
It's you against you. You against you!
What are you playing at? What's going on?
Some amateur, some nobody, going four rounds with you?
Why're you letting him go four rounds, huh? Normally, you'd KO in one.
You're embarrassing us! You hear that? You're embarrassing me!
Your performance is shit! I can't believe this shit, man!
You hear me? You're no fuckin' champ!
The fuck is this? What do you want? You with me or against me?
-I'm your coach! -I don't give a fuck! Get out of here!
-The war's out there, for fuck's sake! -I don't need you!
Get the fuck outta here!
Unbelievable scene in the cage. Ibrahim screaming at his coach.
The tension is palpable.
I can't imagine that energy is gonna be good for his chances.
Especially for this fight when there's so much to lose.
You've got five minutes.
Five minutes to change your life, Taylor.
Look at me!
You're stronger than him. Tell me you're the champion!
-I'm the champion. I'm the champion. -You're the champion! You're the champ!
-I'm the champion! -Yes!
This is war, Taylor! Hey, Taylor.
Now bring him in hell.
Coaches, leave the cage!
Come on, Taylor. You got this!
The fifth and final round is about to start.
A fight that's been absolutely incredible so far.
I don't know if it's possible to communicate
what these two men have been through over the past 20 minutes.
I'm curious to see what they have left.
-Come on, Taylor! -Fifth and final round. Fight!
And we're back! These are the last five minutes.
This is the moment anything could happen.
Less than five minutes, Taylor! It's now or never!
This round is going to be psychological.
No strength left in their arms.
Whoever wins, it'll be force of will.
Just look at that kick from Taylor. Totally without conviction.
The fatigue is taking over.
Knock him down, he's gonna fall!
Ibrahim's arms are just as tired.
Evenly matched and evenly exhausted.
Oh yeah… You can tell, their tanks are both empty.
That's not good. Taylor's getting sloppy, making mistakes.
-Move! -Get out of there!
Ibrahim's got him up against the cage. Raining blows down on Taylor.
Taylor's defending himself, but without much conviction.
And now, Ibrahim stops?
-Wild. -Unbelievable!
He's finished! Now, knock him out!
Engage, gentlemen. Engage.
Both men, face to face in the cage. Title match, last round.
They're completely drained.
They've got nothing left. Neither of them.
Show me some movement, Taylor.
Finish him!
Ibrahim's back. Picking up the pace.
Taylor's still defending. He doesn't wanna go down.
He doesn't want it to end like this.
Taylor's holding out, no matter what.
Look at this, unbelievable! I can’t believe it.
-This is the fifth and final round! -Fuck yeah, Ibrahim!
-A massive one-two from Ibrahim! -You got it!
Come on! 30 seconds, Taylor!
Gentlemen, you need to fight! Engage!
Ibrahim simply cannot finish the job. It's wild!
That's it. Stay tight. Protect yourself. Keep moving!
All in. They've both given it their all. And they're still there.
They've both given so much in this fight that they've got nothing left.
Oh!
Did you see that? Incredible!
With a kick to the head, Taylor sends Ibrahim crashing down!
-Whoa! -Yeah!
-Yes! -Whoo-hoo! Taylor! Yeah!
No one could have predicted that kick! It came out of nowhere!
Outta nowhere! Exactly!
Ibrahim didn't see it coming either and took the full force of it.
He's laid out on the mat.
-You did it! -Legendary!
-Yeah! -Yeah!
This fight is going into the ARES history books!
Two incredible performances from the fighters!
There was so much heart in the cage tonight! Absolutely incredible!
This is legendary, man. What you did, this is crazy!
Ladies and gentlemen…
And Boss is gonna be so proud! So proud!
Please welcome former UFC heavyweight interim champion,
Ciryl ''Bon Gamin" Gane.
Here comes Ciryl Gane with the champion's belt.
He'll present the belt to the category's new champion, Taylor Keita!
Congratulations, guys.
Hey.
After five rounds of epic battle,
the story has unfolded.
And your winner, by way of knockout!
And new ARES welterweight champion!
Taylor "The Outsider" Keita!
Taylor! Taylor!
I've only got two things to say.
And the first, is that I'm never dealing with him again.
We all saw what happened tonight.
Second, burn this into your memories.
You remember my name. Because this is the beginning!
-Let's go, Taylor! -Make some noise! Come on!
My victory tonight… is for Boss.
And…
I wanna thank my whole team. And…
And… let them know I love them.
Taylor! Taylor! Taylor! Taylor!
Let's go!
Yeah!
Taylor! Taylor! Taylor!
Whoa!
I'm so proud of you.
Great job, bro.
Thanks, man.
-Hey! -What you did tonight, man? Legendary!
-Thanks, bro. -Boss is gonna be proud of you.
-I did it for him. -Yeah.
Sorry to bother you after such a fight.
Mike Hamilton, UFC matchmaker.
Yeah, I know. Nice to meet you.
You dropped some bombs tonight. Well done.
-Thanks. -Nice job.
I kinda wanna have you fight at the UFC France.
What do you think?
-Okay. Okay. -Yeah?
All right, I’ll call Georges. I’m gonna make it happen. All right?
Okay. Thank you.
-Well done. -Thanks. Thank you. Thanks.
Did he say what I think he said?
I'm going to the UFC.
Ah!
Champagne for everyone! Yeah!
No, thanks. None for me. But if you've got any water, I'd have that.
-Yeah, I can get you some. -You sure?
-Ah, you're the man. -Of course.
-I appreciate it. -Anything for the champion.
Fantastic.
Taylor Keita's dressing room is that way?
-What's this about? -Anti-doping test.
Yeah, it's there.
Hey, wait a sec!
Look, I'm sorry to ask, but would you mind giving him a minute?
All his friends are with him, he's celebrating his big win.
We're so happy for him.
Wait. It's his first time winning a belt. That's huge.
Come on. It's not every day a guy wins a belt.
Fine. Okay.
We'll start with the others and come back to him.
Thanks. He'd really appreciate it. Thanks, you guys.
How you doing? So when do we start training tomorrow?
Ah man, you're the best.
Everyone.
To Boss.
-To Boss. -To Boss
And to you.
Ah.
-Thanks for everything. -No, thank you.
We're in this together. Always.
Together, bro. Always.
You'll see. I'm right about your brow ridge.
At least two stitches, my friend.
And I'm saying zero.
You wanna bet? You're on, man.
-Bet you a kebab. -A kebab, yeah.
Hey, listen up. Hey! I've got a bet with Taylor.
I know he's gonna need two stitches…