Photo credit to PFL MMA PR
Bubba Jenkins talks Chris Wade co-main event bout at PFL 9
Bubba Jenkins takes on Chris Wade in the co-main event of PFL 9.
The latest from Professional Fighters League goes down Friday, August 27th from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. The broadcast takes place on ESPN 2 and ESPN+ as the 2021 PFL Playoffs continue.
I spoke with the featherweight fighter at the PFL media day ahead of this one. The excerpt from my interaction with Jenkins is below.
Bubba Jenkins
You were talking about studying Chris Wade’s interviews and mannerisms.
Is this like a linear thing in your career where you study those kinds of aspects and add that to your analysis leading into fights? Or is this more of a recent addition to your preparation?
“This is 100% me just looking at my opponent, you know. The art of war teaches you to know yourself and also know your opponent. I know myself. I know I will bring it right to your front doorstep. There’s no part about me, that will turn away from a charging Rhino. If I’m a lion, I’m just not going to turn away. I just don’t have that in me to turn away. Will I get tired? Yeah.”
“Will I turn away? Hell no. I’ve seen this man turn away. His quit button is way too close to the top. Maybe it’ll be buried deeper now because we’re both wrestlers. He’s got this whole pride of him being the underdog and he’s coming with that bravado. But I’ve seen this man lose two fights already. The fact that he’s here, he’s lucky. He’s lucky to be here. Not oh, he worked here.”
Bubba Jenkins continued, “There’s no frickin way he beat Anthony Dizy. I should be fighting Dizy right now. The fact that I’m fighting Chris Wade is the fact that he’s lucky on the cards. He’s lucky I don’t bust his ass when I see him. He is talking a crazy game. I’m not appreciative of the way he carries my name in his mouth.”
The other side of the Featherweight Semifinal bracket!@BubbaJenkinsMMA 🆚 @CWadeMMA #PFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/qVaQcBRcxQ
— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 23, 2021
PFL 9
Is there a level of trash talk and banter in this one that is different from other fights?
“There’s no trash-talk, no banter, I’m not a rival. This dude reverences me. Oh to fight a man like Bubba Jenkins to him being a national champion, he reverences me. There’s a fear in his heart, a humbleness there for sure. Something I see there in his humble want to be champion. But water always finds its weight. It always finds its balance.”
Bubba Jenkins continued, “If you’re good, water gonna find good. If you’re great, water gonna find great. It’s always gonna equal out. My man been to the same situation two times in a row and has not found great water. He won’t find it either this time. He’ll get washed.”
