MVP vs Houston | Bellator MMA
Fighters are scheduled to start chatting today at 12:00 p.m. ET from inside Accor Arena in Paris, France.
Bellator 248: “MVP vs. Houston” takes place this weekend (Sat., Oct. 10, 2020) at Accor Arena in Paris, France. Welterweight star “MVP” Michael Page (17-1) will face undefeated Ross Houston (8-0) in the main event of the first-ever Bellator card in the country.
The fighters are scheduled to participate in what the promotion is calling a “Virtual Media Day” this afternoon (Weds., Oct. 7, 2020), starting at 12 p.m. ET. Expected participants include:
Timothy Johnson (12:00 p.m.) – Bellator Heavyweight
Ross Houston (12:15 p.m.) – Bellator Welterweight
Saul Rogers (12:30 p.m.) – Bellator Featherweight
Michael Page (1:00 p.m.) – Bellator Welterweight
Ryan Scope (1:15 p.m.) – Bellator Lightweight
Mads Burnell (1:30 p.m.) – Bellator Featherweight
Oliver Enkamp (1:45 p.m.) – Bellator Welterweight
Cheick Kongo (2:00 p.m.) – Bellator Heavyweight
Selected news and memorable quotes from the participants will be available below.
Timothy Johnson: “I’m coming in a little lighter than I usually do. I think I’m coming in at 262 right now. This isn’t some kind of vendetta against Cheick. I can handle losing, but not the way that I did. As long as I put out a product that I’m happy with, I can handle a loss. This fight is more with myself than anything.”
Johnson: “The weight of this fight should definitely put me at the top. Cheick just fought for (the title) and it went to no contest so I definitely should be in the conversation.”
Johnson: “A lot of people switch camps and they want instant results which doesn’t happen.”
Ross Houston: “I think I took away (from Nicholas Dalby) that I need to work on my defense a bit. We’ve worked on my defensive skills, being a bit more evasive. It brought a lot of attention to both of our names just because of the sheer amount of blood.”
Houston: “I’m always looking to fight the top guys and the Bellator Welterweight division ha some of the top guys on the whole planet. After I beat MVP on Saturday night I’ll move on to world title number two.”
Houston: “I think I’d be stupid to say (MVP) doesn’t have skills. I feel like I don’t think he’s fought someone quite as well rounded than me other than Douglas Lima and Paul Daley. The Lima fight went the way it went, the Daley fight was quite close. He has got the skills but I know I’m better.”
Houston: “I could have got easier fights and still got paydays but that’s not the kind of character that I am.”
Houston: “I don’t really read into (MVP’s antics) too much. It’s a business for me, it’s a business for him. I take nothing personally. It terms of his style it is what it is but I feel like I’ve got the strongest mind in MMA period. None of his antics before or in the fight will affect me.”
Houston: “Training camp’s been fine to be honest. I’ve also got my own martial arts MMA club as well. I love my gym and my coaching but its been much less responsibility because (during the pandemic) I’ve only had to focus on myself for the entire year. In a really really selfish way for my personal fighting career its been beneficial.”
Houston: “Obviously we signed for 170, which I was happy about, and then he wanted 175 for every reason. In my head I was like ‘That suits me because I’m a bit heavy for the weight anyway.’ It suits me to a tee. It’s going to show who is the better fighter on fight night because we’ve both got a little less stress making weight.”
Houston: “I don’t pay too much attention (to social media). It’s quite funny to be honest. It is what it is man. What are you gonna do? Once your name’s on the platform, you must be doing something right.”
Saul Rogers: “It’s different to say the least but I can’t complain. For all the regulations I’ve got to be grateful because there’s a lot of guys on the sidelines. It’s different (with the pandemic) I’ll tell you that.”
Rogers: “It’s massive. I’ve got a lot of French friends and a few years ago it was illegal. Fast forward a few years and they’ve got a show of this caliber in this stadium. I’ll forever be down in this kind of high history and I’m proud man.”
Rogers: “We’ve both got similar records but I should be another four fights on into that record. Really I should be 17-3. Throughout my career I’ve fought the highest levels of guys and I feel like (Mezhidov) has not fought the guys I’ve fought.”
Michael Page: “This COVID-19 madness is still ongoing right now. Having sports back is a great thing, that already feels like an occasion. And being the first time France opens their doors to MMA, that gets me excited.”
Page: “Again I think it’s a shame that it had dropped down to like a thousand people now, it’s a shame that we couldn’t get a full house in there, it would’ve been great. But it’s definitely a reason to come back to France and put on a show later on when things are back to normal.”
Page: “It’s a bit of an unfortunate side effect of my style. If it was a bit more of a back and forward, people would say ‘Oh yeah he’s a great fighter, he’s tough’ and I wouldn’t have that ‘He’s fighting cans’ appeal. I’m able to keep really safe and still be devastating but there’s a side effect to that where people just don’t believe in the opponents that I have.”
Page: “I don’t even believe I’d be matched up with Ross Houston if it weren’t for the situation that we’re in. I can’t go to the states and a lot of the fighters can’t come here. I have to give (Ross) his dues though and also he’s undefeated. It’s a tough fight and I look forward to the challenge.”
Page: “(Lima) is the fight that I want. I’m more interested in that than anything else. If he wants to remain at Middleweight, I’ll face him there. If he moves up to Light Heavyweight I’ll face him there. Mousasi is one of the greatest in our sport. He’s massively underrated or should be more praised. I think his jiu-jitsu is way superior (to Lima) and I think that’s going to be the difference maker in their fight.”
Page: “It’s very significant but not just because I lost the fight. If it was a close back and forth or I got completely dominated I probably wouldn’t be that eager. Why I want that back is that I was in control, I was a bit overconfident in a small moment, and at a high level those small mistakes are devastating mistakes. I had him rocked and I just feel like it should’ve been the other way around, or it was heading in that direction, and I just made a few stupid mistakes that never should’ve happened. It’s more frustrating when you feel like you gave something away instead of losing.”
Page: “We had a lot of different things, COVID practices that we had to adhere to, but I wasn’t cooped up in my house like other people and the roads were empty which was nice. What also was a great thing was where there are a lot of other gyms with professional fighters who weren’t accessible to them, they were now coming to our gym (London Shootfighters). People were forced to come just because they had no other options.”
Page: “(Daley’s) got a face you always want to punch. I’d be happy to jump in the cage with him but that’s just the emotional side of me talking. I don’t think it benefits me in any way. Perhaps we can organize our own event but for now it’s not something I care too much about. For now I’m focusing on Douglas Lima.”
Ryan Scope: “It wasn’t my choice. The original opponent Paul Redmond asked for the fight at that weight so I said yes. I don’t mind the extra three kilograms. It’s huge (to be in France). It’s a historical event isn’t it yeah? The first show in France.”
Scope: “I’m more focused on myself. I’ve watched a couple of tapes on him (Omer) but I’m not going to dwell too much. I’m just going to do what I do. I’ve been criticized for being lazy in the past and its been true, but this time I’m ready.”
Scope: “Paul Redmond broke his thumb, it’s a shame isn’t it? But it’s the fight game. These things happen. When I beat Alan I’m going to be going in line for somebody above Redmond, at least I’d hope anyway.”
Scope: “Yeah it’s good obviously having a crowd there and it’s first one in Paris so it’s a bit of an experience. I’m looking forward to that.”
Scope: “I’m believing in myself, believing in my abilities, not letting the demons creep in when they do. So I’ll be stronger mentally and physically for this fight.”
Mads Burnell: “To be honest I’ve been hot for Bellator for a couple of years and the opportunity was there and it was just natural.”
Burnell: “How I feel is like martial arts, MMA is like a learning process. I was young (in UFC), I’m still young, and I learn on the job. That’s all I can control. All I can control is performing to the best of my ability, and if I do that I’m going to have a great night.”
Burnell: “People stick their head out and I take their head home with me. (Japanese necktie) is a good submission and very underrated as well. If people trained the Japanese neckties they’d find it super easy to implement in their game.”
Burnell: “My goal right now is on Saturday, the 10th of October, I just take one fight at a time, go out and perform, and just keep performing — and that’s it.”
Burnell: “(Bellator) is super professional. Both (UFC and Bellator) are super professional. Yeah. I don’t know what to say to be honest.”
Burnell: “I think to be honest it’s a very good match. Bellator is going big in Europe and I’m a big name in Europe so it’s a good match. I hope that answers your question.”
Burnell: “No we (Denmark) have had our fair share of the pandemic. Before Denmark used to be a boxing nation and everybody was behind (that) but now everybody has turned toward MMA and boxing is dead. MMA has taken over back home.”
Burnell: “I don’t expect anything when I go into a fight. If you expect anything going into a fight you’re probably going to get knocked the hell out.”
Oliver Enkamp: “We’ve had a bit more relaxed approach to the pandemic (in Sweden). The first few months we had to train outside, so it was more strength and conditioning.”
Enkamp: “I think it’s a matter of focus and I was fighting mostly local shows in Sweden before I got a short notice fight when UFC came to Sweden in 2017. That was my first interaction at a really high level and I learned so much from there. I took everything that I learned into Bellator, and now my third fight will even be better because I’ve learned so much.”
Enkamp: “I don’t feel like ‘The Future’ — I got that nickname six years ago. I feel like ‘The Present’ now so we can change that nickname. I’m looking one fight at a time so my focus is Saturday but after that I’d really like to fight in Sweden, and that would be a really nice fight for me, and hopefully be a main event or a co-main event.”
Enkamp: “I just want to fight whoever the fans want to see me fight next. I view this more as an entertainer than a competitor.”
Enkamp: “Dawa is really strong and athletic like me and he comes from two finishes. I think this fight will probably end pretty early.”
Enkamp: “I think it would have been worse to be locked down and not be able to go anywhere. I think Sweden has had a good approach and I hope I don’t offend anyone who has a traumatic experience with COVID.”
Enkamp: “(It’s) very cool to be part of MMA history and touch new ground. After a win maybe we’ll get that fourth (Bellator) fight in Sweden. Whatever Bellator and the fans feel like. For me I mostly focus on myself and my performance, so I don’t really care who I face. I don’t have a lot of insight into the other fighters in the division to be honest.”
Cheick Kongo: “It’s great you know? It’s one of the final steps around the world of MMA legalization and regulation of the sport. Now French citizens can enjoy the fights live too and now (fighters) can train and be prepared in France.”
Kongo: “Everybody change you know? They gain a bit more confidence in what they expect to do. I just have to stay aware and reply as I have to do. I have to adapt my style as I do with the others, but just bringing another win is a must. In this country I have to win, I should say with a knockout, but you never expect when the knockout is coming. I’m not a magician or someone predicting the future.”
Kongo: “At the last minute (Bader) run away and decided to fight for the Light Heavyweight. The way he got beat up was quite bitter to me because I wanted to do it to him first.”
Kongo: “You always have people coming for the sports just to be seen, just to be famous, just for the fame. They realize when they get hit pretty hard they just give up and get out of the track.”
Kongo: “Honestly I take it fight by fight. I still have some gas in the tank and the funny part of this is I like it. The motivation is for the performance and I like that. I’m able to react properly with the right reflex and everything is about reflex — the way you train, the way you spar, and the way you visualize the fight. That’s part of the system to make me a great fighter at 45 years old.”
Kongo: “At some point I should say it was easier (during the pandemic) you know. I used to train like COVID didn’t exist.”
Kongo: “It’s like Mike Tyson say, everybody have a game plan until they get hit — BOOM. Big difference.”
Kongo: “I never think about guys fighting the same way. They always bring something else. The key for (Johnson) would be I have to put Kongo down (but) I don’t like his striking. I don’t want to be cocky but in my career I’ve never been in danger when I’m on the ground.”
Kongo: “I don’t care. I’m here to fight. The crowd want me to fight, Bellator want me to fight, I fight. I spent four years not being able to fight for the title so what the fuck? What the fuck is that joke? I’m not greedy but just put that on the table. It seems like I was a ghost, yeah.”
Kongo: “It is great you know? It is great to show to French citizens that they are really good athlete(s). It’s great. It’s wonderful, especially for the kind of event that people used to wait for for years. I could be cocky and said I’m going to fuck him up and like that, but that’s not my cup of tea. For sure it’s not easy to win, it’s not easy to lose. The thing is I should say for sure I’m more experienced than Timothy but you never know you know? Everything can happen really fast. I don’t want to leave him the chance to play his game. I’m a competitor. I’m here to win. I’m not here to visit and see family and good times. For sure I will after the bout but for now I will stay away and be COVID free. Timothy has the skills to win at any time but I won’t let him do it on my person. I have unfinished work to do.”
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