On Saturday night, UFC middleweight standout, Josh Samman will be fighting on his home turf for the first time in four-and-a-half years when he faces off against Tamdan McCrory on the UFC On FOX 17: Cerrone vs. dos Anjos card from Orlando, Florida. To him, it is a source of motivation that spurs him to go the extra mile in training, to not get a case of "drag-ass," as fight camps can often inspire.

Samman's UFC tenure hasn't been an easy one, with two serious injuries and a personal tragedy, but since his return to action last December, he's riding a very impressive win streak, making very short work of his last two opponents. He's been on a tremendous upswing outside the Octagon, as well, with his own fight promotion, a budding writing career and a philanthropic streak that sees him routinely involved in many local charities.

Recently, the Three Amigos Podcast caught up with Josh to discuss a variety of topics ahead of his fight. Discussion points include the impact of fighting on his home turf, thoughts on Tamdan McCrory's skillset, whether the punishment fit the crime for recent opponent Caio Magalhaes, using the "eye test" in post USADA times, thoughts on Rockhold/Weidman, who he wants next, what he felt the most important story of 2015 was and much more. Here's what he had to say:

TAP: You're getting to fight in your own back yard this time around. What kind of impact does that have on you in both your training and prep for the fight, as well as the mental/emotional aspect? Are you doing lots of press coverage locally, open workouts, things of that nature?

Josh Samman: Yeah, you know my last several fights have all been in Las Vegas, and while I love Las Vegas it's so nice to be in Florida. As you said, it has had a mental impact on me, just in the sense that I haven't had a single bit of drag-ass when it comes to training in this camp.

I don't have a problem staying motivated, but for this fight in particular it has been a long camp, about 3 months, and usually around this time I'm feeling fed up with it all. Now, I'm just so excited for it to be fight week in my home state. It's going to be an awesome experience.

TAP: I know you've fought in Florida on the regional circuit before you got to the UFC, but do you feel any more pressure fighting in your home state with the UFC?



Josh Samman: Yeah, there's no way there won't be more pressure, but it's about how you react to it. I've fought in Florida several times, especially in my home town of Tallahassee, which was an unreal experience. That helped prepare me for situations like the one I'll be in on Saturday.

TAP: You're facing a unique prospect in Tamdan McCrory, who has a pretty legit ground game, and has made a career resurgence since coming back last year. That said, he's only fought once this year, and once last year, and had a 5 year layoff prior to that. Do you feel that ring rust will be a factor here?

Josh Samman: I think some of the ring-rust guys have is just being under the bright lights again, and feeling the jitters and the nerves maybe, but I don't think Tamdan is going to suffer from that. Although Bellator is a smaller show, he has looked tremendous in his last two fights. The only thing I think may become a factor is that he may have forgotten what it's like to be in deep waters. It has been a long time since he has gone 15 minutes, though I don't expect the fight to last that long.



He might think he's going to come out here and starch me like he has in his last few fights, but that's not going to be the case. I think if anything, this fight will be reminding him what fight conditioning really looks like in a fight that lasts longer than a minute.

TAP: Your strength of schedule is pretty exemplary. You've defeated a legitimate BJJ black belt in Kevin Casey, you starched TUF winner Eddie Gordon, and you basically put Caio Magalhaes to sleep. Without selling Tamdan's skillset short, do you feel your level of competition will be a big factor in the road to victory for you?

Josh Samman: In terms of the level of competition, I'm not lying when I say I think Tamdan will be the most dangerous opponent I have faced. I think he's got a lot of skills and tools that are similar to mine, but I think mine are just a bit better.

I like to put every opponent I fight on a pedestal. I like to imagine they're all killers and superheroes all through camp. Then when fight night actually comes and I get my hands on them, I realize that they're not as strong or as fast as I thought they were going to be, and that makes me feel better and the win usually comes from that.

TAP: Your entry into the UFC was a bumpy road, filled with injury and a terrible personal tragedy. How have things been for you, both mentally and physically over the last 2 years?

Josh Samman: Since the Eddie Gordon fight things have been turning back around. I kind of combat a lot of the negative things I've been through by being goal driven and accomplishment oriented. For me, life is very seasonal and I think the pendulum will always be swinging back and forth, but right now, I'm in a good place.

TAP: This will be your third fight in the span of a year (15 days over, but still, about a year). Is that an ideal calendar year for you, or would you prefer to have 1 or 2 more fights, in sort of the same vein that Cowboy Cerrone's schedule runs?

Josh Samman: You know, one summer fight and one winter fight has kind of become the schedule that i've really taken to. I have so many other things going on in my life, and I put so much into these training camps that my mind and body are best kept fresh fighting just twice a year.

As long as I can get one fight in the summer and one in the winter, I feel confident that i'll always be able to go out there, make a statement and have it be a special occasion every time I step in the cage, which is what I really aim for.

TAP: In your last fight, Caio Magalhaes was suspended for 6 months following his spitting blood at you. Do you feel the punishment was appropriate, too much, too little?

Josh Samman: I didn't want him to be suspended at all, to be honest. I'd prefer him to keep fighting, keep winning and making us both look good. I think a fine would have been more appropriate. If I would have received some of that money, and maybe Big John McCarthy would have received some of that money, because I think he was spit on too, that would have been ideal. It's not a big deal to me. It is what it is. He was caught up in the heat of the moment and I don't think about it too much.

I think Conor has worked harder than all of us in terms of his UFC career. When you factor in his promotional duties with his training, with the Ultimate Fighter and everything else, he has pulled way more than his own weight and he deserves to be champion. -UFC middleweight standout, Josh Samman

TAP: You were vocal about the folks that are critical of Conor McGregor's success. For those that haven't read your Facebook, would you give us your take on why Conor's success is good for everyone?

Josh Samman: I think a lot of the fans just get caught up in the notion that Conor doesn't respect anyone. You know, he has shown moments of disrespect for sure, you can't argue against that, but I think the sport grows most on the back of superstars.



I think Chuck Liddell did that several years ago, Ronda has done it recently, and even more recently we're seeing it with Conor. I think Conor has worked harder than all of us in terms of his UFC career. When you factor in his promotional duties with his training, with the Ultimate Fighter and everything else, he has pulled way more than his own weight and he deserves to be champion.

TAP: There are many fans and even media pundits that have gone public with critical observations of "post USADA" physiques and performances. What's your take on that?

Josh Samman: You could include me in those who are keeping an eye on who is looking and performing differently since USADA has been implemented, but it's too early to say exactly who we can point fingers at.



For myself, I have been posting more progressional physique photos than usual for this camp, just because I know what I look like, and I'm trying to sort of goad USADA, in a sense, into drug testing me often. I've had several PED allegations throughout my career and I want being a clean athlete to be part of my identity in this sport.

I think the only way to do that is through very frequent testing. A lot of guys are starting to look different, but I'm not going to be one of them. I want to be known as a guy who has the same physique and performance throughout my whole career both before and after USADA.



TAP: Do you eat and train the same throughout the year compared to when you're in camp?



Josh Samman: No, that's not the case. When I'm in camp I'm strictly pescetarian. I may eat a turkey or chicken breast or two, but I don't eat red meat, I don't eat pork. My diet is very different when I'm in camp, as are my workouts. I really emphasize cardio and conditioning when I'm in camp, which is going to make you look more cut up and lower your body fat percentage and stuff like that. When I'm out of camp I like to lift and be strong, but I can definitely tell the difference between what I look like in camp and out of camp, to be sure.

TAP: With the IV re-hydration ban in full effect, have you noticed any real changes in performance or physique in the fighters since October 1st?

Josh Samman: Like I said, it's kind of too early to be pointing fingers, but the internet doesn't let anyone get away with anything. I'm sure that all of the pundits and critics will find a bunch of photos and compare before and after pictures of all the fighters over the next few months.

I'm sure we'll start to see guys who were winning impressively start to look different. But to be honest, I don't know how much of a factor it's going to be. I can't name anyone off the top of my head, and I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, so I don't have anyone in mind right now.

TAP: What were your thoughts on Rockhold/Weidman, and if you were to give an assessment of that fight, complete with any issues you found on either side, what would it be?

Josh Samman: I've been telling folks for a year or two that I thought Rockhold would be champion. I was just very impressed with him every time he fought. Against Machida, against Bisping, choking out Boestch with the one handed guillotine... I thought he was going to win like that, by a slick submission, rather than a grinding TKO win.



Overall, I think it was a good night for the middleweights towards the top of the division, in the sense that we've all seen that the title is within your grasp. Everyone has their holes. You have somewhat of a middleweight tournament at the top of the division between the top four guys, and while Rockhold did look good, I wasn't super overly impressed with any of those guys. Sometimes when two guys are really talented they kind of negate each other's performance, but I think it was an encouraging night for middleweight contenders.

TAP: At the end of the Rockhold-Weidman fight Joe Rogan interviewed Rockhold, who said he had been fighting a staph infection in his foot and had been taking anti-biotics. My first question is what are your thoughts on guys who come out and seem to "explain away" their performances, and my second question is do you think that the media and fans have a good grasp on how hard it is to stay injury free during a camp?

Josh Samman: I'm kind of undecided on that. I'm really not sure. If it's the first thing that comes to mind and it comes up naturally and a fighter is like, ‘I had a tough camp, I had this and that, I had a staph infection,' then that's OK. It kind of goes both ways in that a lot of the media and fans don't know exactly what it's like to go into a camp with complications.

Half of Rockhold talking (at the presser), was him talking about his staph and whatever he had going on, and I just wanted them to ask other things. You know, you can't blame him for explaining what he felt like during the camp.

But then on top of that you have Rockhold at the post-fight presser, and that's all the media wanted to ask him about. Half of Rockhold talking was him talking about his staph and whatever he had going on, and I just wanted them to ask other things. You know, you can't blame him for explaining what he felt like during the camp and what was going on. I don't hate him for it, it is what it is.

TAP: It has become clear that the loudest bird in the nest gets fed first. Bearing that concept in mind, and not to look past your fight with Tamdan, who would you consider an ideal opponent for your next fight?

Josh Samman: If I beat Tamdan the same way I beat Eddie and Caio, I know I'll be Top 10. You do start looking at those opponents at the top of the list. There are two guys up there that would be excellent fights for me; one is Michael Bisping and the other is Roan "Jucao" Carneiro. Both of them are currently scheduled to fight. We'll see how those bouts play out, but assuming those guys win, those are fights I'm super interested in.

TAP: You are a bit of an entrepreneur and philanthropist. You are a fighter, a fight promoter in your home state, a budding journalist and you have a charity, if I'm not mistaken. How do you keep all your ducks in a row efficiently?

Josh Samman: I kind of put my personal life on hold for a couple of years. I try to keep my plate full and do all of these things that I want to do. I want to be in my 30s and look back at this time and be proud of what I've done. The only way to do that is to be goal oriented, keep my plate full and hope that I'm not spreading myself too thin.



When it comes to fight time, when I'm in camp, that's first priority. That comes before everything, because winning these fights gives me the platform to make all of the other stuff possible. Any time I win in the UFC it elevates everything else that I do, so it's very important for me to win. It's the most important thing. While there are a dozen other things going on in my life, fight camp always remains my number one priority.

TAP: With 2015 rapidly coming to an end, what do you think the most important story in MMA was? (USADA, IV ban, Reebok deal, commission inconsistencies, Conor's meteoric rise, Ronda's downfall, Jones personal issues, etc)

Josh Samman: That's a tough one. I think USADA is the most important thing going on in MMA right now. I think Novitzky is one of the most important people in the sport. I'm always bugging him and texting him to ask him questions about how he feels about this and that. I hope he doesn't mind how much I bother him. He's very responsive, and I told him when I first met him that I wanted to play an active role in cleaning up the sport, and that I was at his disposal. That to me is the most important thing.



I think the biggest story in terms of the most coverage is obviously Ronda Rousey losing, but what's getting covered and what is the most important are not always the same thing.

TAP: There are always some great, funny tales to come from UFC events, whether backstage or in the crowd or even in the lead-up to fight night at the fighter hotels/gyms etc. What's the craziest thing you've seen or heard about this year?

Josh Samman: There's always a lot of craziness going on in MMA. I haven't been to too many UFC events this year since i've only fought on one, but at Combat Night, the local promotion here in Florida, we had a father and son here fighting on the same card which was pretty wild.

We had two fighters with cerebral palsy who had just been begging us to put them on a card to fight. They fought each other and it was so cool. Everybody in the place was just in tears almost. It was a really inspirational, cool story. I was scared shitless that one of them was going to get hurt, but the state commission okayed it and they were completely fine. It was a cool experience to watch and see, and it was probably one of the highlights of my year in terms of mixed martial arts.

TAP: What are your goals for 2016?

Josh Samman: I have three things in particular that I have my mind on. I want to win this fight impressively and beat one of the guys I spoke about earlier to get into the top 5. It would be an amazing life accomplishment to crack the top 5, and I think that's feasible in 2016.



I would also like to host an all-pro show here in Florida. A lot of these guys who have been fighting as amateurs with us for a while are at the level where they need to go pro and get pro fights, and we want to give them that opportunity.



Lastly, I would like to publish a book. I've been working on one for a couple of years, and it's about my experiences over the last several years since i've gotten into the UFC. While I know that my story is not done yet, I've got plenty of stuff to fill pages and I want to get this one done and go ahead and get started on a second one.

You can check out the audio from this great interview here or via the embedded player below. The interview starts at the 1:29:25 mark of the audio. Remember, if you're looking for us on SoundCloud or iTunes, we're under the MMA Nation name. Follow our Twitter accounts: Stephie Haynes, Three Amigos Podcast, Iain Kidd and Mookie Alexander or our Facebook fan page, Three Amigos Podcast.