Full Episode - On assignment September 6

HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM. I'M ALEX VILLARREAL, AND HE'S BACK! MY CO-HOST IMRAN SIDDIQUI, SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THE DESK AGAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH, GLAD TO BE BACK AND WE'VE GOT A JAM-PACKED SHOW AGAIN THIS WEEK, STARTING WITH A LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL FOR U.S. MILITARY ACTION IN SYRIA... ALSO IN THIS EPISODE, WILL THE LARGEST U.S. PORK PRODUCER COME UNDER CHINESE OWNERSHIP? AND LATER, A PROGRAM BRINGING TOGETHER EX-PRISONERS AND ABUSED ANIMALS... AND WE TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE LIFE OF A MIXED MARTIAL ARTS FIGHTER. ALL THIS AND MORE, COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF-HOUR...ON ASSIGNMENT! U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS BEEN SEEKING SUPPORT FROM CONGRESS FOR MILITARY ACTION AGAINST THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT... IN THE WAKE OF WHAT THE U.S. SAYS IT HAS PROOF WAS A CHEMICAL WEAPONS ATTACK ON CIVILIANS IN THE SYRIAN CAPITAL. AND WE'RE JOINED NOW BY VOA NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE. JIM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF PARTISAN BICKERING DURING THE OBAMA PRESIDENCY. HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT CONGRESS WILL APPROVE A STRIKE, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN IF THE LAWMAKERS SAY NO? WELL THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT SORT OF TASK FOR THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, TO GET CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL. IT SURPRISED SOME MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THAT HE EVEN WENT THIS WAY. HE'S SAID HE'S ALREADY DECIDED HE WANTS TO TAKE ACTION, BUT AT THE LAST MINUTE HE DECIDED TO GO THROUGH CONGRESS. IF THEY SAY NO, AND WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY THIS IS GOING TO GO AT THE CURRENT TIME, THE PRESIDENT'S ALREADY INDICATED HE BELIEVES HE DOES NOT NEED CONGRESS' SAY-SO TO PROCEED. BUT OBVIOUSLY HE WANTS IT, SO THEY'RE RESERVING IT SEEMS TO ME THE OPTION OF GOING AHEAD EVEN IF CONGRESS DOES SAY NO. AND JIM YOU TALK ABOUT IT BEING A SURPRISE THAT THE PRESIDENT WOULD SEEK CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL FOR THIS. RECENT U.S. PRESIDENTS, GOING BACK TO 1950 TYPICALLY HAVE NOT ASKED FOR CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL FOR THIS TYPE OF ACTION. WHAT'S DIFFERENT IN THIS CASE? YOU'RE RIGHT, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY DECLARED WAR AS A COUNTRY SINCE THE 1940S, AND SO THIS PARTICULAR CASE I THINK SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT THE PRESIDENT IS WELL AWARE OF PUBLIC OPINION POLLS, AND THE FACT THAT IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW THERE'S JUST NO INTEREST IN GETTING THE MILITARY INVOLVED IN ANOTHER COUNTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE COUNTRY IS WAR-WEARY AFTER AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ, AND BELIEVES THAT EVEN THE PROMISE OF LIMITED AIRSTRIKES OR CRUISE MISSILE STRIKES STILL SOMEHOW MIGHT SUCK THE UNITED STATES INTO ANOTHER CONFLICT. SO HE'S GOT A BIG JOB HERE TO SELL, BUT ONE OF THE REASONS HE MAY WANT TO DO THIS IS LOOKING AT THE EXAMPLE IN BRITAIN, WHERE PARLIAMENT SAID NO TO PRIME MINISTER CAMERON, HE BELIEVES MAYBE IT'S IN HIS BEST INTEREST TO TRY TO GET THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS ON BOARD, AND WITH THE CONGRESS HOPEFULLY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS WELL. BUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITHIN THE CONGRESS? WHAT'S SORT OF THE BACK AND FORTH? HERE'S SOME FASCINATING CROSS CURRENTS RIGHT NOW FOR BOTH PARTIES. THERE ARE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS WHO REMEMBER THE IRAQ WAR BUILDUP, THEY WERE DISMAYED AND FELT BETRAYED WHEN THE SO-CALLED WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION NEVER MATERIALIZED. SO THEY'RE SKEPTICAL OF SUPPORTING THE PRESIDENT ON THIS. ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, AN INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT IS SORT OF A NON-INTERVENTIONIST LIBERTARIAN WING OF THE PARTY LED BY PEOPLE LIKE RAND PAUL, AND TED CRUZ FROM TEXAS IS DEVELOPING, SO THERE'S A SPLIT IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHICH TRADITIONALLY IS MORE OPEN TO MILITARY ACTION. AND ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING WITHOUT U.N. BACKING. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ROLE OF OTHER COUNTRIES ARE? WELL RIGHT NOW A LOT OF THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AS THEY WEIGH THIS ARE NOTICING THAT THE U.N. SEEMS TO BE SHYING AWAY FROM A LEAD ROLE ON THIS, THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ACTION. FRANCE SEEMS TO BE INTERESTED IN GOING AHEAD WITH THE UNITED STATES, BUT BRITAIN HAS HAD TO BACK OFF, BECAUSE OF DOMESTIC POLITICAL ISSUES THERE RELATED IN FACT TO THE IRAQ WAR, SO RIGHT NOW, THE PRESIDENT REALIZES IT'S KIND OF THE U.S. GOING IT ALONE, AND HE'S GOT TO MAKE THE CASE NOT ONLY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, BUT TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. AND SOME ANALYSTS EVEN SAY THAT A LIMITED MILITARY STRIKE LIKE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE WON'T EVEN BE EFFECTIVE. WHAT'S SORT OF THE WHITE HOUSE LINE ON THAT? RIGHT, AND WE'RE SEEING ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS GRILLED ON THAT VERY SUBJECT IN HEARINGS BEFORE CONGRESS. WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO IF IT'S LIMITED IN NATURE? THEY'RE PROMISING NO AMERICAN BOOTS ON THE GROUND, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GET THAT CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL, BUT I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION'S RESPONSE IS, WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE BELIEVED CHEMICAL WEAPONS HAVE BEEN USED? CAN THE UNITED STATES REMAIN SILENT, CAN WE DO NOTHING? THEY'RE TRYING TO POSE THAT QUESTION IN RESPONSE. VOA NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. COMING UP, VOA'S STEVE BARAGONA TELLS US HOW PORK IS PRODUCED IN THE U.S., AND WHY CHINA IS SO INTERESTED IN IT. YOU'RE WATCHING ON ASSIGNMENT. THE WORLD'S LARGEST PORK PRODUCER, SMITHFIELD FOODS, IS A U.S. COMPANY. BUT IT MIGHT NOT STAY THAT WAY, NOW THAT A CHINESE COMPANY IS MAKING MOVES TO BUY IT. THE SALE IS NOT APPROVED YET, AND U.S. LAWMAKERS ARE STILL LOOKING AT WHAT THE TAKEOVER COULD MEAN FOR THE U-S FOOD MARKET. IN THIS ON ASSIGNMENT REWIND, VOA AGRICULTURE REPORTER STEVE BARAGONA TALKS WITH OUR DOUG BERNARD ABOUT THE CONCERNS INVOLVED, AS WELL AS TRENDS IN THE FARMING INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE. LET'S TAKE A LOOK. YOU'VE BEEN ON LARGE-SCALE FARMS, YOU'VE BEEN ON VERY SMALL-SCALE FARMS. WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU NOTICE THAT ARE DIFFERENT ABOUT THESE TWO OPERATIONS? WELL YOU KNOW WITH A SMALL FARM, THIS IS KIND OF WHAT WE THINK OF AS YOUR QUINTESSENTIAL FARM. AND THE LARGE FARMS ARE DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, IT'S MORE OF AN INDUSTRIAL KIND OF OPERATION. YOU'VE GOT YOU KNOW HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS INSIDE A BUILDING, THE BUILDING IS TO A CERTAIN EXTENT CLIMATE-CONTROLLED, THE DISPOSAL OF WASTE IS CONTROLLED, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WHAT YOU THINK OF AS A FARM. NOW WHAT WE THINK OF AS A FARM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CERTAIN ELEMENT OF ROMANTICISM THAT WE HAVE TO THIS KIND OF MYTHICAL PAST. SIMPLE LIFE, PASTORAL SETTING, GENTLEMAN FARMER, THAT SORT OF THING. THAT'S THE IDEA. A GROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIKE KEVIN SUMMERS IN AMISSVILLE ((AM-ISS-VILLE)), VIRGINIA, ARE RETURNING TO SMALL-SCALE FARMING. "IN ORDER TO FEED THE WORLD, I THINK THIS IS A BETTER WAY. IT'S A CLEANER WAY. IT'S A MORE HUMANE WAY." MORE AMERICANS TODAY WANT TO KNOW WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM. AND THEY LIKE THE PERSONAL TOUCH THAT SUMMERS GIVES HIS HOGS. "I CAN SEE THE ENTIRE PROCESS UNFOLD BEFORE MY EYES AND KNOW THAT THEY HAD A GOOD LIFE AND WERE HEALTHY AND HAPPY." SO LARGE SCALE FARMS ARE EFFICIENT, THEY'RE MORE PROFITABLE. WHY WOULD PEOPLE THEN WANT TO GO, SAY IN PORK PRODUCTION, WHY WOULD THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO A SMALL-SCALE FARM? WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF...A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T LIKE ABOUT THE LARGE SCALE, WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MANY ANIMALS IN A SMALL SPACE, THEY CREATE A LOT OF POLLUTION. YOU'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH THE WASTE SOMEHOW. AND THERE'S...THE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IS A CONCERN. THERE'S ACTUALLY A FAIRLY STRONG ANIMAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN THIS COUNTRY THAT SEES SOME OF THE PRACTICES AS INHUMANE. AND, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE SMALL SCALE FARMS, I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO GO INTO THAT KIND OF FARMING FEEL A REAL PASSION FOR THE FOOD SYSTEM, FOR THE QUALITY OF THE FOOD. I MEAN, THEY RAVE ABOUT THE FLAVOR, CHEFS RAVE ABOUT THE FLAVOR, PEOPLE WHO REALLY KNOW WHAT PORK SHOULD TASTE LIKE ALWAYS GO FOR THE KINDS OF PIGS THAT ARE RAISED IN SMALL SCALE FARMS, BECAUSE THEY EAT A MORE COMPLEX DIET. IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU'RE GOING FOR. CHINA HAS RECENTLY SAID THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING SMITHFIELD, WHICH IS THE LARGEST U.S. PORK PRODUCER. WHY WOULD THEY WANT TO DO THAT? GETTING A COMPANY LIKE SMITHFIELD WOULD BE A REAL ASSET FOR THEM, BECAUSE SMITHFIELD IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST PORK PRODUCER, SO THEY HAVE HUGE TECHNOLOGIES OF SCALE, OR ECONOMIES OF SCALE, SO THEY CAN PRODUCE A LARGE AMOUNT FOR...INEXPENSIVELY. THERE WAS A HEARING ON CAPITOL HILL THAT LOOKED AT THIS AND SAID... THERE WAS A LOT OF SKEPTICISM FROM THE SENATORS AT THIS HEARING. A LOT OF SKEPTICISM. THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT THE CHINESE WILL DO, AS THEY HAVE DONE SUCCESSFULLY IN OTHER INDUSTRIES, THEY WILL ADOPT THIS TECHNOLOGY AND EXPORT IT TO OUR LARGEST PORK CONSUMER, JAPAN, WHICH IS OF COURSE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO CHINA. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A FOOD SECURITY ISSUE FOR THE U.S. WOULD CHINA BUY SMITHFIELD, AND THEN EXPORT ALL OF SMITHFIELD'S PORK TO CHINA? THEREBY RAISING THE PRICE OF PORK IN THE U.S. THERE ARE FOLKS WHO RAISE FOOD SAFETY CONCERNS. THERE HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN PROBLEMS WITH FOOD SAFETY IN CHINA, AND HAVING A CHINESE COMPANY IN CHARGE OF A U.S. COMPANY RAISES CONCERNS, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY THAT WELL, THEY WOULD STILL BE SUBJECT TO ALL THE U.S. LAWS ON FOOD SAFETY. IT'S SOMETHING THAT RAISES CONCERNS. VOA AGRICULTURE REPORTER STEVE BARAGONA. HONG KONG-BASED SHUANGHUI INTERNATIONAL HAS MADE A $4.7 BILLION DOLLAR OFFER TO BUY SMITHFIELD FOODS, BUT THIS STORY HAS TAKEN A NEW TWIST. RIGHT ... SMITHFIELD HAS SCHEDULED A SPECIAL SHAREHOLDER MEETING IN LATE SEPTEMBER TO VOTE ON THE PROPOSED TAKEOVER, BUT REPORTS INDICATE OTHER INVESTORS MAY BE WILLING TO PAY MORE FOR SMITHFIELD THAN SHANGHUI HAS OFFERED. SO THE MERGER -- WHICH WOULD BE THE BIGGEST TAKEOVER OF A U.S. COMPANY BY A CHINESE ONE -- IS FAR FROM A DONE DEAL. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE TAKING A BREAK NOW. STILL TO COME - A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR EX-PRISONERS AND ABUSED DOGS. YOU'RE WATCHING ON ASSIGNMENT. SOME CITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES HAVE TRIED BANNING THE OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN DOG BREEDS, MOST NOTABLY THE PIT BULL. THESE EFFORTS ARE CONTROVERSIAL, DESPITE PIT BULLS' REPUTATION OF BEING DANGEROUS. BUT NOW, THE DOGS AND SOME FORMER PRISON INMATES ARE GETTING A BOOST FROM A PROGRAM THAT PUTS PEOPLE ON PAROLE AND ABUSED ANIMALS TOGETHER. WE'RE JOINED BY VOA'S REBECCA WARD, WHO WENT ON ASSIGNMENT TO EXPLORE THIS PROGRAM, WHICH GIVES A CHANCE AT REHABILITATION TO BOTH THE PEOPLE ON PAROLE AND THE ANIMALS. REBECCA, TELL US HOW THIS ALL GOT STARTED. WELL I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF DOG CAUSES, I HAVE TWO RESCUES MYSELF, SO WHEN I WENT TO NEW ORLEANS, MY FRIEND SAID, LET'S GO TO VILLA LOBOS RESCUE CENTER, WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF A REALITY SHOW CALLED PIT BULLS AND PAROLEES ON ANIMAL PLANET. AND SO I GOT TO TALK TO THE FOUNDER OF THE RESCUE CENTER, TIA TORRES, AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF THE INMATES, OR FORMER INMATES I SHOULD SAY, AND I HAVE TO SAY THEY WERE GREAT, AND WERE SO CARING OF THE DOGS. IT'S SUCH A GREAT PROGRAM. AND WHAT KIND OF CIRCUMSTANCES DO THEY FIND THESE DOGS? WELL THEY CAN BE IN ANY KIND OF CIRCUMSTANCE. I GUESS THE SADDEST CIRCUMSTANCE IS WHEN THEY RECOVER DOGS FROM A DOG FIGHTING RING, WHICH HAPPENS ALL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND ALL ACROSS THE WORLD I IMAGINE. OF COURSE IT IS ILLEGAL, AND SOME OF THE DOGS I SAW HAD BEEN USED AS BAIT DOGS. SO THEY'RE NOT REALLY VICIOUS, THEY JUST HAVE HAD SUCH TERRIBLE LIVES UP TO THIS POINT. WHAT'S THE CENTRAL GOAL OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE PAROLEES WITH THE PIT BULLS? I THINK THE GOAL IS THAT THEY'RE JUST KIND OF A NATURAL FIT. THEY HAVE BEEN KIND OF CAGED, AND ACTUALLY ONE OF THE GUYS THAT I TALKED TO USED THAT WORD. HE UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY HOW THE DOGS FELT. AND IT KIND OF BRINGS OUT THE BEST OF BOTH OF THEM. IT'S FASCINATING. SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR PIECE AND WE'LL COME RIGHT BACK. EARL MOFFETT IS USING HIS SECOND CHANCE TO GIVE ABUSED ANIMALS A SECOND CHANCE. HE'S ONE OF SEVERAL PAROLEES WORKING WITH VILLALOBOS RESCUE CENTER IN A CITY KNOWN FOR ITS OWN REBIRTH FROM A DEVASTATING DISASTER. HURRICANE KATRINA NEARLY DESTROYED THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE VILLALOBOS NOW RESIDES. AFTER NEARLY TWO DECADES IN CALIFORNIA, NEW LOCAL REGULATIONS PROMPTED VILLALOBOS FOUNDER TIA MARIA TORRES TO FIND A NEW HOME IN NEW ORLEANS. THE CITY AND THE STATE, SHE SAYS, HAS BEEN MORE THAN WELCOMING. "WE'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HERE IN LOUISIANA - I MEAN YOU TALK ABOUT A STATE THAT IS SO INTO REHABILITATION FOR THEIR PRISON SYSTEM. SO REFRESHING, SO REFRESHING. WE HAVE POLICE OFFICERS THAT HAVE COME TO US AND SAY, I ARRESTED THIS GUY LAST WEEK AND I KIND OF FEEL SORRY FOR HIM. HE'S PROBABLY A GOOD GUY. IF HE GETS OUT OF JAIL, COULD WE HIRE HIM?" THIS IS NO ORDINARY PET RESCUE PROGRAM. NOT ONLY DOES VILLALOBOS SAVE PITBULLS WITH THE HELP OF FORMER PRISON INMATES - TIA AND HER TEAM ARE THE STARS OF A POPULAR REALITY TV SHOW ON CABLE'S ANIMAL PLANET. BUT THIS BEING A REALITY SHOW, THESE DOGS ARE REALLY RESCUES - SOME BEING FOUND IN APPALLING CONDITION. "THE VET SAID THE EAR WAS PROBABLY CHEWED OFF BY A RAT OR RACCOON." AND THE GUYS GIVING THE TOURS TO PROSPECTIVE PET OWNERS ARE REALLY FORMER INMATES. "WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THEM GET A SECOND CHANCE JUST LIKE MS. TIA GAVE US A SECOND CHANCE SO I CAN IDENTIFY WITH THEM GUYS LIKE BEING INCARCERATED." "I THINK THE PAROLEES DO REALLY WELL WITH THE PITBULLS BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE A PITBULL. THEY SAY WE LOOK SCARY, AND PEOPLE JUDGE US OUT THE GATE. AND SO THEY SAY THEY REALLY KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE LOOKED AT AND PEOPLE WALK ACROSS THE STREET WHEN THEY WALK BY." PITTBULLS AND PAROLEES WAS THE BRAINCHILD OF MIKEY D - NOW THE CREATIVE PRODUCER. HE MET TIA WHEN HE ADOPTED A DOG AND NEEDED HELP WITH TRAINING. "LONG STORY SHORT, I WOULD GO TO TIA'S TRAINING CLASS BUT I'D BE LOOKING AT HER SAYING OH MY GOSH, SHE IS A ROCK STAR." MIKEY D WAS ALREADY WORKING IN THE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY WHEN HE APPROACHED TIA ABOUT THE IDEA. "I PUT SOME STUFF ON PAPER. SECOND CHANCE SHOW, OH MY GOD...YOU KNOW, EX-CONS YOU KNOW. IT WAS HARD FOR PEOPLE TO VISUALIZE AND I GET IT. THEY WERE LIKE, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT PITBULLS OR PAROLEES." BUT SOMEBODY FINALLY DID GET IT AFTER MIKEY D. FOLLOWED TIA AROUND FOR A MONTH WITH A VIDEO CAMERA. PITBULLS AND PAROLEES DEBUTED ON ANIMAL PLANET IN 2009 AND BEGINS A FIFTH SEASON THIS YEAR. IN THE MEANTIME, TIA TORRES AND HER TEAM OF PAROLEES AND VOLUNTEERS CONTINUE TO HELP HUNDREDS OF DOGS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.REBECA WARD, VOA NEWS, NEW ORLEANS. THEY SEEM TO BE GETTING TOGETHER PRETTY WELL. THEY'RE GREAT. THE TWO PAROLEES THAT I MET WERE SO CARING ABOUT THE DOGS, YOU COULD TELL THAT THEY'RE REALLY WAS A CONNECTION THERE. IT WAS INTERESTING. AND REBECCA WE KNOW THERE WAS A STRONG CONNECTION FOR YOU, AS WELL, YOU MENTION THAT YOU OWN TWO DOGS YOURSELF. NOT JUST DOGS, THEY'RE RESCUES. TWO RESCUE DOGS, ABSOLUTELY. WELL REBECCA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS STORY TO US. ONCE AGAIN REBECCA WARD, WITH OUR VERY OWN ON ASSIGNMENT TEAM. NOW THIS IS A STORY WE FIRST RAN IN MARCH, FROM VOA PERSIAN NEWS NETWORK REPORTER TALA HADAVI. TALA WENT INSIDE THE WORLD OF ULTIMATE FIGHTING TO PRODUCE A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT IRANIAN-SWEDISH MIXED MARTIAL ARTS FIGHTER, REZA "MAD DOG" MADADI. TALA FOLLOWED "MAD DOG" FOR WEEKS AS HE PREPARED FOR THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP. MADADI COMPILED A RESPECTABLE 13-3-AND-ZERO CAREER RECORD IN THE UFC, BUT IN AUGUST, HIS LIFE TOOK A SERIOUS TURN. WE'LL TELL YOU MORE AFTER OUR SEGMENT WITH TALA. CHECK IT OUT. I'M REZA MADADI AND I'M 34. I WAS BORN IN TEHRAN. I LIVED IN THE SOUTH OF TEHRAN TILL I WAS 12 OR 13 YEARS OLD AND THEN WE MOVED TO SWEDEN. I DID A FOUR AND A HALF MINUTE FEATURE ON HIM. RIGHT AWAY I KNEW THIS IS A GUY WHO DESERVES TO HAVE HIS STORY TOLD. AND SO I FOLLOWED HIM FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF AND WHEN HE MADE IT TO THE UFC -- WHICH IS THE BEST LEAGUE IN THE WORLD IN THIS SPORT -- I CONTACTED HIM. SO I TRAVELED TO SWEDEN FOR TWO WEEKS AND THEN WE WENT TO BRAZIL, WHICH IS ACTUALLY WHERE HE HAD HIS NEXT FIGHT. YEAH, SO WE TRAVELED FOR FOUR WEEKS TOGETHER AND I REALLY GO TO KNOW HIM. NOW I HAVE A ONE-HOUR DOCUMENTARY ABOUT HIM. I WAS 11 OR 12 YEARS OLD WHEN WE ARRIVED IN THE AIRPORT IN STOCKHOLM. A YOUNG REFUGEE SITTING THERE WITH MY DIRTY CLOTHES, I WAS SO EMBARRASSED THAT DAY. I DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO RAISE MY HEAD. I SAID "GOD, WILL THERE BE A DAY I ENTER THIS COUNTRY WITH PRIDE." SO, WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THIS GUY IS AN IMMIGRANT WHO MOVED TO SWEDEN WHEN HE WAS 13 YEARS OLD AND THEN HE HAD A LOT OF CRISES IN HIS LIFE. TELL US ABOUT THAT. YEAH SO REZA ACTUALLY GREW UP WITHOUT A FATHER. HIS MOTHER WAS 40 YEARS OLDER THAN HIM AND HE'S THE NINTH KID IN THE FAMILY. IT WAS VERY HARD FOR HIM TO COME AS A 13 YEAR-OLD CHILD TO SWEDEN AND SORT OF ADAPT. HE WAS ALREADY FORMED SOMEWHAT INTO THE PERSIAN CULTURE. WITH SWEDEN BEING SO DIFFERENT, IT WAS HARD FOR HIM TO ADAPT. HE'S A DEVOUT MUSLIM, AND I THINK HE HAD A HARD TIME ADJUSTING TO THE LIBERAL COUNTRY. SO, I THINK THE SPORT OF M-M-A REALLY SAVED HIM. IN THE DOCUMENTARY, HE REALLY GOT A CHANCE TO FOCUS ON HIS SPORT -- THREE OR FOUR HOURS A DAY, AND THAT'S WHERE HE SPENT MOST OF HIS TIME, INSTEAD OF BEING ON THE STREETS OR AT SCHOOL OR HANGING OUT WITH SOME OF THE WRONG FRIENDS HE HAD CHOSEN. HE TALKS ABOUT THAT IN THE DOCUMENTARY TOO, AND ALSO SOME OF THE MENTAL THINGS HELPED HIM, THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DISCIPLINE AND THINGS LIKE THAT HELPED HIM IN SOME OF THE BETTER CHOICES IN HIS LIFE. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU PULLED IT OFF BECAUSE YOU SHOT, WROTE AND DIRECTED THIS DOCUMENTARY, AND IT WAS 40 HOURS OF FOOTAGE, CORRECT? YES. AND WHAT IS THIS? IS THIS A STACK OF YOUR INTERVIEWS? THIS IS A TRANSCRIPTION OF THE ENTIRE 40 HOURS. THIS IS THE BIGGEST PROJECT I'VE EVER DONE AND ONE OF THINGS I MADE A GOOD DECISION ON, NOW LOOKING BACK, WAS THAT EVERY TIME I WOULD COME BACK AFTER SHOOTING ALL DAY, I WOULD DIGITIZE IT. SO I WOULD ARCHIVE IT REALLY WELL. SO I WOULD PUT "DAY ONE," AND ALL THE ELEMENTS OF THAT DAY. YOU CAN SEE THAT ACTUALLY HERE. AND THAT REALLY HELPED ME STAY ORGANIZED. SO WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE STATES TO START TRANSCRIBING AND START WRITING THE STORY, I WAS VERY ORGANIZED. IT WAS VERY EASY FOR ME TO FIND EVERYTHING. AND YES, I SHOT IT ALL BY MYSELF. SO THERE ARE SOME AUDIO PROBLEMS. FOR INSTANCE IN BRAZIL, THE FIRST MORNING WE GOT THERE, WE WERE BOTH JET LAGGED. SO WE GOT TO THE HOTEL IN THE MORNING, AND I KNOCKED ON HIS DOOR AT 7AM. HIS MANAGER, WHO WAS STAYING WITH HIM, SAID HE'S UPSTAIRS. SO I RAN UPSTAIRS TO CATCH HIM THIS FIRST MORNING AND I DIDN'T HAVE MY AUDIO EQUIPMENT WITH ME. SO THOSE THINGS HAPPEN WHEN YOU'RE BY YOURSELF. BUT I SHOT AND EDITED ALL OF IT. AND IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. YOU KNOW, YOU SEE MADADI IN THE FILM AND THEN YOU SEE HIM IN REAL LIFE. IS HE LIKE AN ANGRY PERSON IN REAL LIFE, OR IS HE CALM AND CHILLED OUT? HE'S NOT SO CALM. HE HAS A BIG PERSONALITY BUT HE'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSON WHEN HE GETS INTO THE CAGE. IN THE CAGE HE IS VERY AGGRESSIVE. HE HAS VERY GOOD CONDITIONING, SO HE'S VERY STRONG AND JUST ATTACKS. HE'S FEARLESS AND YOU SEE IT IN THE FOOTAGE OF THE DOCUMENTARY. RIGHT BEFORE THE FIGHT IS STARTING, YOU SEE HE'S JUST "IN THE ZONE," YOU KNOW. "I DON'T LET A FRIEND WIN EVEN IF I'M ONLY WALKING UP STAIRS. I HAVE TWO FEET AND SO DOES HE. WHY SHOULD HE BE FIRST UP THE STAIRS?" I WAS IN THE LOCKER ROOM WITH HIM BEFORE THE FIGHT AND HE'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSON. DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO FIGHT HIM? NO. AND I THINK I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT. I WOULD BE PRETTY BEAT UP. BUT TELL ME SOMETHING: HOW WAS THE RESPONSE FROM THE AUDIENCE FOR HIM AND FOR YOURSELF? ACTUALLY IT'S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING, BECAUSE WHEN WE AIRED IT ON JANUARY 18TH ON PNN, IMMEDIATELY I GOT MESSAGES -- MULTIPLE HUNDREDS OF MESSAGES. I THINK I PERSONALLY GOT CLOSE TO 300 MESSAGES OF YOUNG IRANIAN MEN, USUALLY, THAT JUST FELT LIKE THEY'VE BEEN SO INSPIRED BY THE STORY. AND I GOT IN TOUCH WITH REZA, AND HE TOLD ME THAT IT'S BEEN A REALLY INCREDIBLE RESPONSE TO THE FILM. BUT I WAS JUST AT HOME IN SWEDEN, AND I MET HIM AND HE SAID "TALA, I'VE GOTTEN PROBABLY MORE THAN FIVE-THOUSAND MESSAGES, PRIVATE MESSAGES, ON MY FACEBOOK WHERE PEOPLE HAVE SAID THANK YOU. YOU CHANGED MY LIFE." SOME PEOPLE SAID THEY WERE DRUG ADDICTS OR THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH REALLY WRONG THINGS, AND NOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT, BECAUSE THEY WERE SO INSPIRED BY HIS STORY. IT'S REALLY A VERY REWARDING END TO SOMETHING I'VE WORKED PRETTY ***. TALA HADAVI, WITH VOA'S PERSIAN NEWS NETWORK. NOW, TO UPDATE YOU -- SINCE WE FIRST RAN THIS STORY, REZA MADADI'S LIFE HAS TAKEN A TURN. HE IS NOW IN JAIL AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY IN AUGUST OF GRAND LARCENY. HE AND TWO ACCOMPLICES WERE CONVICTED OF A SMASH-AND-GRAB RAID ON A HIGH-END HANDBAG BOUTIQUE IN SWEDEN. MADADI WAS FINED AND SENTENCED TO 18 MONTHS IN PRISON, AND WAS RELEASED BY THE UFC. AN UNFORTUNATE TURN FOR THE 35 YEAR-OLD FIGHTER. WELL WITH THAT WE'VE COME TO THE END OF OUR SHOW. IMRAN, IT'S SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK! THANK YOU SO MUCH, I'M GLAD TO BE BACK , I MISSED ALL OF YOU GUYS... ...AND WE MISSED YOU. THANKS...AND OF COURSE IN OUR NEXT WEEK SHOW, WE'LL BE TALKING TO OUR REPORTER IN LONDON ABOUT THE ECONOMIC STRUGGLES ACROSS THE EUROPEAN UNION. WE'LL ALSO EXPLORE TRADE TENSIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND GEORGIA THAT NOW INVOLVE A U.S.-FUNDED LABORATORY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING. GOODBYE FROM WASHINGTON. WE'LL CATCH YOU NEXT WEEK.