UFC 267 Embedded, part 4 – ‘Is that the belt? Is that the gift?’

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Check out the fourth episode of Embedded for UFC 267. UFC 267 is almost here, and as usual, Embedded is here as well. The show that gives you an inside look at the marquee contestants on PP…


UFC 267 Weigh-in
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Check out the fourth episode of Embedded for UFC 267.

UFC 267 is almost here, and as usual, Embedded is here as well. The show that gives you an inside look at the marquee contestants on PPVs (even if this isn’t a PPV per se) has issued the fourth episode for this weekend’s huge show on Fight Island, and it serves as a brief introduction to the fighters at the top of the card.

We start off in Jan Blackowicz’s room, where him and his team are joking around and playing video games. He says he doesn’t usually have time for this on fight week, but for this one, he does. Things then move to Cory Sandhagen’s room, where they’re doing some non-contact sparring to stay sharp. His coaches believe that he’s ready for whatever Petr Yan brings.

Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira run into each other in the washroom getting changed. They joke around a bit, very jovial. Blachowicz says he has a gift for Glover, since it’s his birthday the next day. Glover humorously replies with “Is it the belt? Is that the gift?” Blachowicz laughes and responds with “That’s staying with me!”. While I like it when fighters genuinely despise each other, this level of respect between two competitors is really cool to see as well.

Blachowicz does a photoshoot and says that the gift is a Polish beer. He hams it up for the camera, and says he’s been in one movie so he knows how to play, lol.

Dan Hooker gets harassed by his team for getting some makeup on before the press conference. It’s all in good fun. He wants to fight Islam Makhachev because he’s a specialist and he wants to fight the best people in the world. Teixeira does the shoot and some media. He’s been more focused later in his career. His wife is there for the shoot, and they take some pics. Outside, Glover harasses one of his coaches about being bald.

Onto the open workouts. Petr Yan talks about the growth of MMA in Russia, and re-enacts the finish to the Aljamain Sterling fight (ie. his own illegal knee). Blachowicz gets up there to work out. He loves fighting in Abu Dhabi, and he’s going to show off the Polish power and knock Glover out in round two or three. Sandhagen is up next, saying he is always preparing to step in for a title fight so he didn’t care if it was on semi-short notice.

Finally it’s Glover, who says it’s a dream come true to be fighting for the title at 42 years old.

And that’s it! UFC 267 goes down tomorrow morning (North American time) in Abu Dhabi.