"I wouldn’t even call it confidence—I would call it absolute certainty." Carlton's Early Blunder, Joseph's Underwear Wander.

That was the mentality Joseph “Youbi” Ayoub took into Carlton’s Round 1 clash against Richmond in the 2025 AFL season.

In what has emerged as the biggest shock of the opening round, Carlton were edged out in yet another instant classic, with Adam Yze’s young Tigers defeating the Blues by 13 points in front of 80,009 fans at the MCG.

Richmond played without fear, showcased tenacity, and left it all on the field—much like the wager undertaken by Back to the Bench TV (B2B) co-founder, Joseph “Youbi” Ayoub.

The Bold Bet

In the lead-up to both sides’ season opener, Youbi embodied absolute confidence in his beloved Blues securing the four premiership points. So much so that he publicly declared on the B2B Instagram page:

"If the Blues do not win tomorrow, I will walk one kilometre down Hoddle Street in just my underwear."

That statement, made just 22 hours before the first bounce, would come back to haunt him.

Sitting down with the man himself, here is the recounting of how it all unfolded on that fateful Thursday night.

The Game That Changed Everything

“I decided to go to the game with three of my mates—all Richmond fans. I usually can’t handle being around opposition supporters, but I didn’t see this as an issue. The outcome was already in my mind.”

Brimming with sheer confidence, Joseph was certain Carlton would secure victory.

“Yeah, I said it (the walk), but I didn’t think it was going to happen.”

Arriving at the MCG, Youbi enjoyed a few beverages and a pizza—something he later admitted contributed to him looking “bloated as ever.”

Carlton started strong, controlling the early stages of the game. But as the match progressed, Joseph felt an unsettling shift.

“I could sense something was going amiss.”

As Richmond gained momentum, a perfect storm began brewing against the Blues.

With every Tigers goal, Joseph let out a nervous laugh. His Richmond mates played down each score, but deep down, Youbi knew what was unfolding.

The young and hungry Tigers ran, fought, and scrapped their way to an awe-inspiring victory—one that ended a 280-day winless streak dating back to June 2024. The MCG erupted in jubilation as the Yellow and Black faithful roared in celebration. For Carlton fans, however, it was despair.

A Wager Comes Due

“There’s absolutely no excuse for Carlton. We’ve got the experience, we’ve got the A+ grade players,” Joseph vented post-game.

Not only did he have to process the loss, but he also had to confront his ill-fated bet. With no escape route—given he had attended with Richmond supporters—he had little choice but to follow through.

“I wasn’t held captive,” he admitted, “but if I didn’t do it, I’d be walking home alone.”

And so, from Punt Road Oval, under the warm night air. Youbi fulfilled his wager.

“I started the walk from Punt Road to Hoddle, amidst the jeers of footy fans heading home. Funny for them, humiliating for me.”

Captured in a video package, the Back to the Bench co-founder kept his word, completing the "bare-all" walk. The clip quickly amassed 120,000 views on the B2B Instagram page and even caught the attention of mainstream media, with Channel 7 and the Nine Network both showcasing his antics.

A Lesson Learned

If there’s one takeaway from Thursday night, it’s this: No matter how confident, assertive, or certain you are about your footy team, the impossible can always become possible in this great sport.

Credit to Joseph for honoring his wager—but next time, it might be best to keep your pants on and not count your chickens before they hatch.