Jimmie Rivera Excited for “Type of Style” Jeremy Stephens Brings at BKFC 56
Jimmie Rivera collides with Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 56 on December 2nd.
Rivera appeared on episode 46 of Bare Knuckle Radio and excerpts from our chat can be found below.
Jimmie Rivera
I imagine that would be frustrating wanting so many fights to happen but them not lining up consistently. It seems like you’re really looking to get a run going and contend for different titles. It seems like it’s even to a scale where you had to pursue opportunities in other divisions. I was seeing the Stephens fight is listed as a lightweight bout on the BKFC website.
“Yeah, I just think he’s either really out of shape or just didn’t feel like cutting weight. I mean I don’t know, they said he doesn’t want to go to ’45. So, I’m like alright let’s do it at ’55. I mean I still got to cut weight for it. I don’t have to cut as much weight, but I have to cut a decent amount of weight. So, I was like whatever, we’ll do whatever weight class.”
“I just; I like it because he’s the type of style fighter that I like to fight and he’s another big name. So, it’s not like I’m fighting someone that has; that’s not well known, you know what I mean? So, I think it’s [ __] great that we’re gonna go in there and beat the [ __ ] out of each other and get paid for it.”
BKFC 56
An incredible fight on paper set for BKFC 56 and I mean similar career arcs. In as far as previous tenures with the UFC albeit in different weight divisions. Is this someone that you saw as a potential opponent or maybe not because of the aforementioned weight class differentiation and all?
“No, not at all. I mean I had no idea he was gonna sign to bare-knuckle. I know he did one boxing match looking it up afterwards with (Jose) Aldo which I don’t remember (if) Aldo won. It was a draw or Aldo won the fight, I forgot. It was a weird fight; it was a short like five-round fight too. But with that said I didn’t have no idea he would actually step in and do this which is cool.”
Jimmie Rivera continued, “I think he might have the right style mindset to do it but not everybody does. We know we saw Eddie you know. I got to train with Eddie getting ready for his Chad Mendes fight, he definitely has the right mentality. Then you saw guys like Luke Rockhold who came in here who doesn’t have it. You have guys like Mike Perry who have the [ __] mentality and so it’s a cool thing to be with their experience.”
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