Photo credit to onefc.com
Dustin Joynson on ONE: Next Gen and ONE Championship debut
Dustin Joynson tests skills with Kirill Grishenko at ONE: Next Gen on October 29th. This battle of unbeaten heavyweights transpires at Singapore Indoor Stadium.
I spoke with Joynson ahead of his first foray into the ONE Circle. A few excerpts from our chat are below.
ONE: Next Gen
The lengthy quarantine and residual follow up after the last minute canceled debut foray into the ONE Circle
“It was 26 days there and then I came home to Canada and had to do another two weeks. It was hard because I didn’t get paid nothing for it. Then I had to miss six weeks of work on top of that. So it was a struggle.”
Dustin Joynson continued, “I asked for it. I pleaded my case a bunch to them. But they kept saying no. It’s not even like I make high-tier money right. It’s not like I’m like Demetrious Johnson. Whose probably show money is something ridiculous compared to something like mine. So that kind of put a sour taste in my mouth for the company a little bit. But, you know, it’s been six months now. It’s time to forget the past I guess and just focus on what’s ahead of me. I’m not thrilled to be going back to Singapore. I kind of wished the event would be somewhere else. Maybe Europe, or a different Asian country. But I’ll go to where I have to, I guess.”
“Singapore left a bad taste in my mouth, the first time with the whole quarantine right. I know I didn’t get the best experience from it. It’s probably not the best to go on. So, I am looking forward to hopefully making better memories this time around. But it was definitely some PTSD trying to go back there when I was told we were going back to Singapore. I don’t know if I can handle going back to Singapore. Being in like five different holding facilities and one was a nightmare and a half. I can’t even explain how rough one of the camps, we had to hang out in (was). Super hot weather, crowded, little cots, no air conditioning, terrible food. It was a nightmare.”
Dustin Joynson
ONE Championship targeting a move towards running shows in the United States
“If they come to North America, please sign me up. Yes, I will 100 times yes say to anything in North America. I’ve never traveled somewhere like that to fight before. Going to Singapore, you realize, oh my god that traveling is so long. I don’t mind traveling, but I’m not great at it. I got a large body so I’m not comfortable sitting on planes. I’m not at like celebrity status where I’m flying anywhere other than just super coach (laughs). Slumming it in the back of the plane just getting that. But, I mean the only saving grace was that it wasn’t very busy on the plane. So there were opportunities for me to stretch out across a few seats.”
How it’ll be just a single day shy of one year since his last fight. As Dustin Joynson makes his return on Friday
“I keep saying, for some reason my fights seem to average out once a year. I had a few fights in a quick span. Then after that it just all seemed to be far and few. And obviously, the pandemic happening at the worst time of my career. When things are starting to get into it. Just kind of put a halt to a lot of things.”
The unique global ruleset and judging criteria used within ONE Championship
“It is different learning different rule sets and even like judging. Different judging rules, I’m not sure how I feel about it. Like they judge the fight on a whole and not so much as a round-by-round basis. It’s like, what if I just kill this guy in the first few rounds? And then the last 30 seconds I’m getting beat up, does he just win the fight there? If that’s the case, does it give me more incentive to just kind of lay back for the last few minutes of the fight and then go balls out? So I don’t know. Maybe I don’t quite understand their scoring a bit. I mean obviously, the goal is to always finish your opponent. But that doesn’t always happen.”
ONE Championship
Parting thoughts for Dustin Joynson
“I would just like to say thank you to my gym TFA and all my sponsors. Chief Supreme, Cardinal Custom Carpentry, JRP Cement Finishing. Game Face Wipes. Universal Supplements. You guys have always been there for me and even my rehab. Pain Rehab relief, Doctor Parenteau. He’s been making sure I’ve been staying healthy this whole time. So I appreciate (them) and appreciate you having me on this talk. It was good.”
Two undefeated heavyweights clashing here and the emotional quandary with that dynamic of handing someone their first loss
“Sometimes I think about that too. Taking away someone’s first loss, it’s kind of a weird feeling. I did that once with (Caio) Machado, and he’s been ripping it up lately. So far, no one’s done it with me. But I’m sure it’ll suck when it does happen. I’m a realist. So I’m feeling it probably will at some point in my life. If I keep doing it, the odds are (laughs). But yeah, gonna keep this going as long as we can.”
Joynson continued,” It’s bittersweet. It’s kind of like ahhhh yeah. I’m sorry, man (laughs).”
We also discussed getting in work at The Fitness Academy for this ONE Championship debut, an individual in a leather trench coat leaving a threatening message in Joynson’s mailbox, and more!
