Savannah Marshall on transition to MMA – “Of all things, I prefer grappling. It’s been my favorite part of my transition to this sport.”
Ahead of the highly anticipated PFL Europe Newcastle on June 8 inside Utilita Arena, the competitors featured in the main and co-main event addressed the media over a global call. Undisputed Super-Middleweight boxing champion Savannah Marshall joined along with her opponent, Brazil’s Mirela Vargas (1-2), while lightweight bruisers from Manchester Kane Mousah (14-6) and Ireland’s Dylan Tuke (7-4) talked about their co-main feature.
PFL Europe Newcastle will air exclusively in the U.K. on DAZN beginning at 5 pm BST, with tickets on sale now at Ticketmaster.co.uk. The huge event will see 15 fights take place, including the Bantamweights and Women’s flyweight rosters looking to secure their spots in the PFL Europe Playoffs this September.
Savannah Marshall:
“Training has been hard, real hard. It’s been a massive change but one I’ve really enjoyed. I’m enjoying learning new skills and enjoying the adjustments I’ve made from being a boxer. I’ve been doing it for about nine months now and I’m really excited. This is a chapter I never thought I would have so this is all a bit of a bonus for me.” (Credit: PFL Europe)
“It’s been amazing for me. I am extremely grateful for the PFL for giving me this opportunity. I remember a couple of months ago when they were talking about my debut, and I remember saying I don’t mind fighting abroad or in someone else’s backyard. But they offered Newcastle, and I thought, wow, what an honor. I’ve headlined the Utilita Arena three or four times now as a boxer, and to headline it in my mixed martial arts debut is a dream come true.” (Credit: PFL Europe)
“I’ve seen Claressa Shields’ fights in the cage, and I can see how she might struggle with certain things, and obviously, what would benefit me in the boxing ring doesn’t really benefit me in MMA. I’m talking about stance-wise, and I had to really change how I stand. I have never really taken anything from any of the girls fighting in the PFL because everyone is different, and I am going to adapt differently. Like I said, all I can take from Claressa’s fight is that I can point out what she struggled with.” (Credit: PFL Europe)
“Of all things, I prefer grappling. It’s been my favorite part of my transition to this sport.” (Credit: PFL Europe)
“All I wanted to be undisputed and have all the belts and that’s what I’ve done. This is a new journey for me. This is a new checklist. This is a new set of goals, and it’s really exciting. This is new, and it’s the unknown, and it’s really got me pumped up. This is something I’ve been missing for a long time in boxing.” (Credit: PFL Europe)
Mirela Vargas:
“This is proof that hard work pays off. It’s been a dream of mine to sign with the PFL, more so than any other promotion. I am extremely honored and ready to go to work against a worthy opponent in Savannah Marshall.” (Credit: PFL Europe)
“This is something I have been planning for a long time with my former coach who just passed. We looked at the PFL as an organization that takes care of its athletes and that has built stars from the beginning of their careers. So, this was something we looked at as a nice path and progression for my career as you know someone you know who can come out from the beginning of my career and begin to grow within the ranks and make it big within the PFL.” (Credit: PFL Europe)
Kane Mousah:
“I’m in amazing shape and in transition with a new coach. He’s actually a friend of mine, so it’s not really new, as I’ve trained under him for a while. It’s just been good for me to kind of combine my style with somebody who understands who I am as a fighter. And his culture is kind of similar to my fighting style. So even at this stage of my career, some people say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but to be fair, you can always refine some stuff that’s been there. We’re in a really good place moving into this fight, and I’m really confident and really focused and hungry. Everyone who knows me knows I come to cause chaos. That’s what I do by nature. We’re bringing it back to controlled aggression on this one, and I’m ready for this one.” (Credit: PFL Europe)
“I have to take my hat off in admiration to Dylan. He has shown me respect prior to this. It just goes to show how well he was raised by his mum. He’s already said his mum would have kicked the teeth out of him if he pulled, so I respect that.” (Credit: PFL Europe)
Dylan Tuke:
“I am humbled and grateful to the PFL for being the co-feature. I promised my mother [who recently passed away] Kane and I would have a knock, and in two weeks’ time, we are going to have a knock. She’d probably slap me more if I would have given up on my promise and not been a man of my word. She would have wanted me in there and to compete. One of the reasons I compete is because of all she taught me. This is a big spotlight for me and she would’ve wanted this for me. I never once thought of pulling out of this. That would have been an insult to me and my coach.” (Credit: PFL Europe)
Updated PFL Europe Newcastle Main Card:
DAZN (U.K.)
June 8 – 5 pm BST
Women’s Lightweight Main Event: Savannah Marshall (Debut) vs. Mirela Vargas (1-2)
Lightweight Showcase Bout: Kane Mousah (14-6) vs. Dylan Tuke (7-4)
Welterweight Season Bout: Jack Grant (19-8) vs. Charlie Leary (17-13-1)
Bantamweight Showcase Bout: Lewis McGrillen (8-1) vs. Matiss Zaharovs (6-2)
Bantamweight Season Bout: Dean Garnett (12-2-1) vs. Ayton De Paepe (12-4)
Women’s Flyweight Season Bout: Shanelle Dyer (4-0) vs. Mariam Torchinava (9-2)
Featherweight Showcase Bout: Ibragim Ibragimov (6-0) vs. Josh Reed (13-8)
Bantamweight Season Bout: Dom Wooding (9-6-0) vs. Luke Shanks (10-4)
Women’s Flyweight Season Bout: Lizzy Gevers (3-1) vs. Sammy-Jo Luxton (2-0)
Lightweight Showcase Bout: Mark Ewen (5-0) vs. Claudio Pacella (3-2-0)
Bantamweight Season Bout: Khurshed Kakhorov (12-1) vs. Bondo Kikadze (8-3-1)
Women’s Flyweight Season Bout: Valentina Scatizzi (2-2) vs. Marie Loiseau (6-4)
Featherweight Showcase Bout: Ben Woolliss (2-0) vs. Maher Belkhadir (1-1)
Bantamweight Bout: Alexander Luster (7-1) vs. Alperen Karabulut (10-3, 1 NC)
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Dee Begley (4-5) vs. Paulina Wisniewska (2-0)
