Tag: Brendan Loughnane

[autotag]Bubba Jenkins[/autotag] indicated he won’t lie to the public.

The general consensus is accurate: Jenkins (19-5) wants to take down opponent [autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] (25-4) repeatedly in their upcoming Nov. 25 bout at the 2022 PFL Championships in New York.

An NCAA Division I wrestling champion and freestyle junior world champion, Jenkins evolved all facets of his game in recent years. While striking and jiu-jitsu will likely be on display, too, Jenkins made it clear Loughnane should come prepared to wrestle.

“The feeling is the same that it’s been,” Jenkins told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a virtual pre-fight news conference Tuesday. “We’re just working hard, chopping wood, grinding it out. … I don’t know why he’s in Thailand. He should be in Uzbekistan or Russia or one of them countries, but Thailand is a good place, I guess.”

Jenkins, 34, compared himself to an alligator – unafraid to fight his foe on land but prefers to do so in the water where he has a clear advantage on paper.

“One hundred percent,” Jenkins said. “We all know that. We can act like that’s not what it’s going to be, but we’re going to get in the cage, and he’s going to throw some things at me. Then I’m going to slip and move and dump him on his ass. That’s where the fight is going to start and end. That’s what the plan is. That’s the main focus. He’s going to do his best job to stay out of the water, out of the sharky waters. I’m going to be an alligator, come out the water, and get on the land with him. I’m going to do my best Movlid impression and go home with $1 million. That’s the game.”

Loughnane, 32, was also at the news conference Tuesday and called out Jenkins for (what he perceives) is lack of stamina. Though Loughnane called Jenkins a “proper warrior” he also accused his opponent of quitting.

Meanwhile, Jenkins is channeling the critical energy.

“He says that I’m a three-round fighter,” Jenkins said. “I’m planning to go all five rounds in all kinds of war and get that unblemished record of never being stopped off his record.”

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[autotag]Brendan Loughnane[/autotag] considers [autotag]Bubba Jenkins[/autotag] a friend – up to a point.

That point is a fight and with the two featherweights scheduled to meet at 2022 PFL Championships, that friendship has been put on hold. While they still remained largely respectful at a virtual pre-fight news conference held Tuesday, each man presented some brutally honest assessments of the other’s game.

“I’m going to speak some truth here,” Loughnane said. “Bubba’s not going to like this, but Bubba quit against Chris Wade. He did quit in that fight. He ended up on his back. I seen the quit in him. It’s not just one fight, because I’ve done my research. I’ve seen him quit a few times.”

Jenkins responded and tacked up the lack of oomph in the Wade fight to “absolute death of fatigue,” rather than mental breakage. Loughnane added he’s felt like he’s drowning in the cage before, but never let it get to him the way he thinks Jenkins did.

“I’ve never even been close to quitting in a fight,” Loughnane said. “I’ve felt that deep-water feeling before and I’m like, ‘F*ck.’ I embraced it. I run toward the fire. I was hoping there was another two rounds against Chris Wade. I was enjoying beating his ass.”

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While he stood by his criticism, Loughnane doesn’t view the situation as black or white. Jenkins isn’t one to shy away from tough matchups and usually brings it, he explained.

“He has fought good guys,” Loughnane said. “I’ve watched his previous fights. Bubba is not a guy that shirks away from hard fights. I was there when he went and fought Ali Bagov and gave up all that weight. The guy is a proper warrior. I have to give him that. But I did see the quit in the Wade fight. And he knows it.”

For Loughnane, his Nov. 25 fight with a title and $1 million on the line marks the second year straight he’s had the opportunity. In 2021, he came up short when he lost to Movlid Khaybulaev via split decision. Loughnane doesn’t want to relive that moment with another defeat.

“I did feel Movlid beat me quite comfortably,” Loughnane said. “We all seen what I did to Chris Wade. That’s what exactly would’ve happened in the finals if I would’ve got there last year. Movlid was my boogeyman last year. But yeah, this year, (I had) two tough fights initially. I had some issues going in but then I had a healthy Chris Wade camp. A healthy Brendan is a very f*cking dangerous Brendan, as we’ve seen in London. Just continuing from that camp, I’m in a great vibe. I’ve got loads of good training partners around me. I’m in the best place in my life mentally, physically, spiritually. I’m ready to just take this belt, man.”

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