Light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes wants to be a role model when he become champion. The 30-year-old faces off against 205lb title holder Jon Jones in the UFC 247 main event this weekend. ‘The Devastator’ has been talking to MMA Fighting about how he plans to be a better champion than his opponent, he said.
“No matter what, you’re a role model. Kids
are going to look up to you, no matter what. Whether you want to or not. I have
nieces and nephews. I have a brother who’s 10 years old. He looks up to me.
These kids look up to me every day so I’m already in that role. I’m not
perfect. I make mistakes. I drink from time to time. I go out but it’s about
being responsible and not being an assh*le about it.”
One of the reasons Reyes fancies himself to
be a respectable champion, is because he has been preparing for it his entire
life. Now at his athletic prime and mentally mature enough, he believes this
title shot has come at the perfect time. Once he wins expect a professional, classy
and wholesome approach from Reyes.
“I’ve been preparing to be at this level my
whole life. I’ve kind of been preparing to be a famous athlete my whole life,”
Reyes said. “For me, I’m not going to become champion at 23. I’m 30 years old
now. I’ve been trained in the media stuff. I know how to act. I’m very classy
with my approach to everything. I’m not going to go out and start doing crazy
drugs and drinking everyday. I’m very professional about how I present myself
and how I go about my life.
“I have family and really close friends
around me. I have a very close circle of people around me. I still live in my
hometown. I’m just happy being me. Being champion
isn’t going to change who I am. When I become champion, that’s just added to
the resume.”
“There’s more responsibility, more public speaking, more outreach, there’s more things that I’m going to be doing but I just see it as more opportunity to help my community. To help people that need help. To be a positive influence and force of good in this world.”
Do you like to see champions adopt this type
of attitude?