Tag: fighter interview

Interview: Top Prospect Austin Springer and Veteran Fighter Pat Healy Share a Similar Goal

By David Golden

Reaching the highest levels of success in a sport as physically demanding as mixed martial arts can leave an athlete battered and bruised. Often fighters make it to the UFC only to leave defeated both physically and mentally. Many of these fighters disappear into obscurity never to be heard from again, serving as little more than ill warnings to young prospects of the sport.

But every so often a fighter who has been cut from the UFC shows great determination and drive as they work their way back onto the active roster. A return trip to the UFC is something usually reserved for those fighters who have great potential or those who have built up impressive win streaks in smaller promotions showcasing their skills. These are the fighters who often serve as the best examples for young upstarts. Determined and driven fighters like these can make excellent teammates and mentors to fighters who are trying to break through and find their way to the big show.

The post Interview: Top Prospect Austin Springer and Veteran Fighter Pat Healy Share a Similar Goal appeared first on Cagepotato.

By David Golden

Reaching the highest levels of success in a sport as physically demanding as mixed martial arts can leave an athlete battered and bruised. Often fighters make it to the UFC only to leave defeated both physically and mentally. Many of these fighters disappear into obscurity never to be heard from again, serving as little more than ill warnings to young prospects of the sport.

But every so often a fighter who has been cut from the UFC shows great determination and drive as they work their way back onto the active roster. A return trip to the UFC is something usually reserved for those fighters who have great potential or those who have built up impressive win streaks in smaller promotions showcasing their skills. These are the fighters who often serve as the best examples for young upstarts. Determined and driven fighters like these can make excellent teammates and mentors to fighters who are trying to break through and find their way to the big show.

In Portland, Oregon there is a fighter many people believe will make his third trip to the UFC sooner rather than later. That fighter is mixed martial arts veteran Pat “Bam Bam” Healy. At 31 years old, Healy is a veteran of over 50 fights, and that experience will be something he leans on as he continues his journey back to the UFC. Since being released by the UFC in the summer of 2014, Healy has gone 2-0 and has won the Titan FC Lightweight Championship. Having recently changed his training up a bit since the release — splitting his time between Donald Cerrone’s BMF Ranch and Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico — Healy has added new wrinkles to his game and showing growth as a veteran fighter, which is sometimes hard to do.

Healy has spent extended periods of time at all levels of the sport, and a fighter with a well as deep as Healy’s will always be on the radar of UFC matchmakers looking for late replacement or veteran fighters for testing young talent. If an opportunity like that is presented to Healy, it will obviously be the foot in the door he is looking for. This journey back to the top will certainly be challenging, but a veteran like Healy understands the adversity that he will likely be facing. While Healy is pushing forward with his goal to reach the UFC for a third time he is standing side by side with a one of the sports hottest up and coming fighters, Austin Springer, who is looking for his first shot inside the Octagon.

Austin Springer is a prospect that seems to fit the mold of future UFC fighter perfectly. At 23 years old, Springer is 8-0 and is showing no signs of slowing down. Springer has fought for titles in three of his last four fights, and in those matchups, secured bantamweight, featherweight, and lightweight championships. Being able to adapt to the challenges of competing in multiple weight classes is nothing that Springer finds too stressful. At 23 years old, Springer is married with two sons, owns his own gym (Gladiator MMA in Vancouver, WA), and trains full time for his chance to punch his ticket to the big show. The pressures that come with being a father, fighter, and businessman might be a challenge for most, but Austin Springer believes that he performs best under pressure.

“Being labeled a top prospect does not add any additional pressure for me. I love being viewed as a top tier pro. I thrive and excel under the brightest lights. If it’s 4th down and we need a big play, I want the damn ball,” said Springer.

After a good bit of success early on in his professional career, Springer got the call from Bellator MMA to fight for their promotion. Springer jumped at the chance and won a unanimous decision over Zach Skinner at Bellator 101 in a fight that he controlled from start to finish. The opportunity didn’t last long, howeverm as Bellator decided not to move forward with the undefeated fighter. Springer has responded to the release by working harder and finishing every fight he has had since the release. For his part, in all this Springer believes in what he is doing and expects to break through in the near future.

“I believe I have absolutely proven that I am ready to compete with the very best fighters in the world…I don’t think there’s anything more that needs to be done to prove I’m at that level. I will however continue to beat top ranked guys, I will continue to pound on the UFC’s front door until they open up and invite me in!”

Clearly the paths of the veteran and the rookie have become parallel. While Springer competes to make his debut with the UFC, Healy looks to be make an elusive third stint with the promotion. With the drive and determination that these two fighters share it seems that little will hold either back from their goal.

The post Interview: Top Prospect Austin Springer and Veteran Fighter Pat Healy Share a Similar Goal appeared first on Cagepotato.

Jon Jones Wants You to Know That He is the *Real* Victim of All This UFC 182 Fight Hype

(“Hey pussy, are you still there?” via…who are we kidding, it’s already been taken down.)

The lead-up to Jon Jones‘ title tilt with Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 has been an unusually heated affair for the long-standing light heavyweight champion. While we’ve seen Jones irked in the past, we’ve never seen him break kayfabe in the form of a full-on fist fight at a press conference before, which usually marks the beginning of a new chapter in a person’s life. The beef between Bones and Cormier appears to be legitimate and has earned the matchup a ton of additional eyes, so it would be a huge mistake on the UFC’s part *not* to use this hate-filled storyline to market the fight, right? Especially while in the midst of a(nother) pay-per-view slump?

The Grudge Match™ has been one of the most reliable marketing gimmicks of the Zuffa era — second only to “If ___ beats ___, then pound-for-pound.” — and surely a scheme that will likely earn Jones a hefty bump in his cut of the PPV revenue. But according to the champ himself, all the money in the world isn’t worth everyone knowing that he is a two-faced, fakey fakerson. (Ed note: Sorry, my 7-year-old nephew is in town for the holidays and keeps jacking my laptop.)

As Bones recently told UFC Tonight (via MMAMania):

When I first saw [the now infamous ad for UFC 182] I was a little offended by it. That UFC — someone who is supposed to be backing my brand and making me look good — would put up something like that for the general public to see. I don’t think it’s really healthy for the world to see their champion — for the world to see UFC’s champion — saying I would kill someone. That really took me off guard. I didn’t really think it was in my best interest, but it was for UFC’s best interest, so I kind of had to swallow my pride. I said it.


(“Hey pussy, are you still there?” via…who are we kidding, it’s already been taken down.)

The lead-up to Jon Jones‘ title tilt with Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 has been an unusually heated affair for the long-standing light heavyweight champion. While we’ve seen Jones irked in the past, we’ve never seen him break kayfabe in the form of a full-on fist fight at a press conference before, which usually marks the beginning of a new chapter in a person’s life. The beef between Bones and Cormier appears to be legitimate and has earned the matchup a ton of additional eyes, so it would be a huge mistake on the UFC’s part *not* to use this hate-filled storyline to market the fight, right? Especially while in the midst of a(nother) pay-per-view slump?

The Grudge Match™ has been one of the most reliable marketing gimmicks of the Zuffa era — second only to “If ___ beats ___, then pound-for-pound.” — and surely a scheme that will likely earn Jones a hefty bump in his cut of the PPV revenue. But according to the champ himself, all the money in the world isn’t worth everyone knowing that he is a two-faced, fakey fakerson. (Ed note: Sorry, my 7-year-old nephew is in town for the holidays and keeps jacking my laptop.)

As Bones recently told UFC Tonight (via MMAMania):

When I first saw [the now infamous ad for UFC 182] I was a little offended by it. That UFC — someone who is supposed to be backing my brand and making me look good — would put up something like that for the general public to see. I don’t think it’s really healthy for the world to see their champion — for the world to see UFC’s champion — saying I would kill someone. That really took me off guard. I didn’t really think it was in my best interest, but it was for UFC’s best interest, so I kind of had to swallow my pride. I said it.

Oh, so you don’t wike it dat da UFC is makin’ you wook bad? WELL LOOK AT POWAH WITTLE JAWN. (Ed note: God dammit, Milo! You know that our WordPress can’t handle all these edits!!)

Knock Jones all you want, but you simply have to respect his consistency when it comes to shirking all responsibility for an incident he played a definitive role in and then martyring himself after the fact. For Christ’s sake, Jones said he was caught off guard…by the things he said! What a world!

“I, Jon Jones, am truly the victim here. Yeah, I might have threatened a man’s life on live television moments after starting a fight that I definitely wasn’t proud of, but for the UFC to promote my fight with those things I said and did? To make money? WON’T YOU THINK OF THE CHILDREN, DANA!!!!”

Who knows, maybe this interview was just the latest in what has been a series of blatantly trollish moves by the light heavyweight champion. But if Jones really is still banking on the idea that the masses will suddenly accept him as a genuine, down-to-earth guy at this point in his career, than maybe he’s not trolling us at all. Maybe Jon Jones is just f*cking crazy. And I honestly, I like crazy (minus that whole “defending Bill Cosby” thing).

I guess it isn’t really worth putting that much thought into. If Jones beats DC on January 4th, he’ll probably come out saying what a “really smart personal career decision” this whole thing was and everyone will somehow find it in them to hate him even more.

–J. Jones

Quotes of the Day: Anderson Silva Drops Truth Bombs About Racism, Homosexuality, and Police Brutality


(This guy? Gay? Who would ever dare imply as much?)

Anderson Silva was about as soft-spoken a champion — both figuratively and quite literally — as the UFC has ever had (except for maybe the guy who replaced him). He rarely used his words as a marketing tool, he refrained from trash talk even in the face of extreme duress, and he spoke through manager Ed Soares more often than not. On the rare occasions Silva did speak, it was usually to troll the MMA media with talks of a superfight, his retirement, etc., which is hard to blame him for when you realize just how misinformed the average MMA journalist is.

In a recent interview with Trip magazine (via Fightland), however, Silva spoke candidly about such topics as the racism he experienced growing up in Curitiba, homosexuality in MMA, and the wave of police brutality against minorities that has struck his native Brazil (among other places). While we’ve always know Anderson to be an incredibly intelligent man, the interview shed some major light on his much concealed past and how it has shaped him as a forward-thinking martial artist today.

Just take the answer he gave when asked whether racism was worse in Brazil or the United States, for instance:

Racism is bad anywhere on the planet…I tend to say that conflict is inevitable in man, that color is just an excuse to unleash that madness, that lack of respect people have for one another. I’m very well set on this racism thing. We’re living in a moment in which racism does not fit in the world. 

For the record, my vote is that it’s worse in America. (*dodges beer bottle from man screaming “Giiiit out!”*) 

After the jump: Silva drops some equally brilliant truth bombs on police brutality in Brazil, and waxes poetic about whether or not he might wake up gay one day.


(This guy? Gay? Who would ever dare imply as much?)

Anderson Silva was about as soft-spoken a champion — both figuratively and quite literally — as the UFC has ever had (except for maybe the guy who replaced him). He rarely used his words as a marketing tool, he refrained from trash talk even in the face of extreme duress, and he spoke through manager Ed Soares more often than not. On the rare occasions Silva did speak, it was usually to troll the MMA media with talks of a superfight, his retirement, etc., which is hard to blame him for when you realize just how misinformed the average MMA journalist is.

In a recent interview with Trip magazine (via Fightland), however, Silva spoke candidly about such topics as the racism he experienced growing up in Curitiba, homosexuality in MMA, and the wave of police brutality against minorities that has struck his native Brazil (among other places). While we’ve always know Anderson to be an incredibly intelligent man, the interview shed some major light on his much concealed past and how it has shaped him as a forward-thinking martial artist today.

Just take the answer he gave when asked whether racism was worse in Brazil or the United States, for instance:

Racism is bad anywhere on the planet…I tend to say that conflict is inevitable in man, that color is just an excuse to unleash that madness, that lack of respect people have for one another. I’m very well set on this racism thing. We’re living in a moment in which racism does not fit in the world. 

For the record, my vote is that it’s worse in America. (*dodges beer bottle from man screaming “Giiiit out!”*) 

You can check out the majority of the interview over at Fightland, but here are the major highlights:

– On news of police violence upon black people, specifically Claudia Silva Ferreira, who was dragged on asphalt by a police wagon in Rio de Janeiro

It was a horrible episode. As I’m from a military family, I think there was a lack of preparation from the police. What we can do is open our eyes and pay attention to the things that are happening every day and try to change that. Protests get us nowhere, we get Carnaval soon after, and then everything’s all right. There’s no point in protesting, if we’re going to have a holiday for the World Cup, and then everything’s all right. We’re entering an era in which we have the opportunity to make changes. It’s important for people to have the conscience to exercise their rights, to protest without violence and aggression, to have objectives. It appears very vague when people are victims of something, they make a fuss in the media and then let it go. Other cases of violence and racism get passed over. I think it’s more important for people to stop, take a step back and observe how much they can change the country, laws—how much better of a country we can have.

– On prejudice towards homosexuals in mixed martial arts

I don’t think there’s prejudice, but there’s a lot of homosexuals in mixed martial arts. There are a lot of them who haven’t yet come out. 

[If they were to come out,] nowadays it’s so silly to not express your feelings. As long as you respect people’s spaces, and respect their limits. You have to live your life in peace and no one has anything to do with that. 

I would train with a gay man. As long as he respected me, it’s all right. I don’t think much of it. The fact that guy is gay doesn’t mean he’s going to accost you. He can be gay, have a relationship, live among guys who aren’t gay. He can do whatever he wants with his private life. 

– On vanity and getting picked on in the gym: 

They tease me. Sometimes people think I’m gay. A lot of people have asked me if I’m gay. I answer, “Look, not to my knowledge. But I’m still young, it could be that in the future I’ll find out that I’m gay. I take good care of my things, I put everything in a bag, I use soap, I put on a cream after training. People think it’s capricious. To each his own. Doesn’t mean you’re more man or less man, more gay or less gay. 

A doff of the cap to you, Anderson, for your progressive and well-balanced views on such controversial issues — although I must disagree that using cream after training makes you anything other than a gay. That’s right, A GAY.

Now that we’ve gotten all that positivity and insightfulness out of the way, I’d like you Taters to answers these questions as if it was Nick Diaz being interviewed. Funniest comment gets a somethingsomething.

–J. Jones

Wanderlei Silva Still Living in a World of Delusion, Calls Out Dan Henderson for Trilogy Match

(On second thought, we could probably watch this again.)

Poor Wanderlei Silva. In the past few months, the former PRIDE legend has engaged in a pattern of self-destructive behavior that saw him start a brawl with Chael Sonnen on the set of TUF Brazil 3, then refuse to actually fight Sonnen, then agree to fight Sonnen only to literally run away from his random pre-fight drug test, leading to the cancellation of the bout. Even his own country has turned its back on him, and Brazilians are nothing if not fiercely loyal motherf*ckers. Poor, poor Wanderlei Silva.

None of these missteps have had any impact on Silva himself, mind you. While we are *still* awaiting word as to the length of Silva’s suspension for said skipped drug test, “The Axe Murderer” has continued to call out guys like Luke Rockhold as if nothing has happened at all. But with Rockhold too busy tearing down Michael Bisping and Vitor Belfort* at every possible opportunity, Wanderlei has been forced to shift his sights elsewhere. More specifically, to Dan Henderson, whom Silva split a pair of contests with in his PRIDE heyday:

It’s not news that I want to face Vitor Belfort or Chael Sonnen. But Dan Henderson is another guy that I want to fight, it’s a viable possibility. We’re 1-1 tied and it would be nice to have a tiebreaker of our score. In my last fight at PRIDE, I lost my belt to him and I couldn’t have a rematch because we left. If this fight happens, I’ll ask him to bring the belt so the winner can have it after the fight.


(On second thought, we could probably watch this again.)

Poor Wanderlei Silva. In the past few months, the former PRIDE legend has engaged in a pattern of self-destructive behavior that saw him start a brawl with Chael Sonnen on the set of TUF Brazil 3, then refuse to actually fight Sonnen, then agree to fight Sonnen only to literally run away from his random pre-fight drug test, leading to the cancellation of the bout. Even his own country has turned its back on him, and Brazilians are nothing if not fiercely loyal motherf*ckers. Poor, poor Wanderlei Silva.

None of these missteps have had any impact on Silva himself, mind you. While we are *still* awaiting word as to the length of Silva’s suspension for said skipped drug test, “The Axe Murderer” has continued to call out guys like Luke Rockhold as if nothing has happened at all. But with Rockhold too busy tearing down Michael Bisping and Vitor Belfort* at every possible opportunity, Wanderlei has been forced to shift his sights elsewhere. More specifically, to Dan Henderson, whom Silva split a pair of contests with in his PRIDE heyday:

It’s not news that I want to face Vitor Belfort or Chael Sonnen. But Dan Henderson is another guy that I want to fight, it’s a viable possibility. We’re 1-1 tied and it would be nice to have a tiebreaker of our score. In my last fight at PRIDE, I lost my belt to him and I couldn’t have a rematch because we left. If this fight happens, I’ll ask him to bring the belt so the winner can have it after the fight.

“It’s not news that I want to face Vitor Belfort or Chael Sonnen.” That’s true, Wandy, but only because one is challenging for the title and the other is, you know, retired. Also, you refused to fight Sonnen on no less than three occasions, which removes some of the credence from that statement. I do like the idea of holding a fight in the UFC for a PRIDE belt, though, and can’t tell you how excited I am at the prospect of Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley II for the UFC Strikeforce Welterweight One-Round Championship.

Not that it matters, because again, Silva is likely facing an incredibly lengthy suspension whenever the NSAC gets its shit together, but Hendo is open to the idea of a trilogy fight:

So Nation, anyone interested in seeing Silva vs. Hendo III when the former returns from his stay on Planet Crazypants Bananas?

*Who responded with two of the most hilarious quotes of the year. 

–J. Jones

After Unfavorable Portrayal in Season 18, Ronda Rousey Claims She “No Longer Supports” The Ultimate Fighter

(A vote against wholesome, quality entertainment like this is a vote against America, IMHO.)

It would be hard to deny that the MMA commentsphere’s seething hatred of all things Ronda Rousey was ever more intense than during her coaching gig on The Ultimate Fighter 18. Whether it was her brash personality, her wild mood swings, or her inability to be humble in victory or classy in defeat, it’s safe to say that “Rowdy” rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way by the time TUF had finished taping. Not that affected her ability to kick ass in the slightest, because well, Rousey is the kind of crazy that cannot be phased by unfavorable media coverage. Or trash-talk. Or the skillset of 99% of her opponents.

In any case, Rousey recently spoke with Sportsnet about her time on the show, and when the discussion shifted to the “infamous” brawl between Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen on this season’s TUF Brazil, the women’s champ revealed that not even she supports the reality show that many feel has long overstayed its welcome:

I don’t watch ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ now that I know how much bull is in it. I don’t support it.

They don’t know the first thing about fighting. They only know about reality TV and they treated us like we were ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ and not elite athletes that should be respected. 

You hear that? Ronda Rousey just sort-of referred to Miesha Tate as an “elite athlete.” Can we all forgive her for that whole handshake diss now?


(A vote against wholesome, quality entertainment like this is a vote against America, IMHO.)

It would be hard to deny that the MMA commentsphere’s seething hatred of all things Ronda Rousey was ever more intense than during her coaching gig on The Ultimate Fighter 18. Whether it was her brash personality, her wild mood swings, or her inability to be humble in victory or classy in defeat, it’s safe to say that “Rowdy” rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way by the time TUF had finished taping. Not that affected her ability to kick ass in the slightest, because well, Rousey is the kind of crazy that cannot be phased by unfavorable media coverage. Or trash-talk. Or the skillset of 99% of her opponents.

In any case, Rousey recently spoke with Sportsnet about her time on the show, and when the discussion shifted to the “infamous” brawl between Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen on this season’s TUF Brazil, the women’s champ revealed that not even she supports the reality show that many feel has long overstayed its welcome:

I don’t watch ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ now that I know how much bull is in it. I don’t support it.

They don’t know the first thing about fighting. They only know about reality TV and they treated us like we were ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ and not elite athletes that should be respected. 

You hear that? Ronda Rousey just sort-of referred to Miesha Tate as an “elite athlete.” Can we all forgive her for that whole handshake diss now?

Having briefly been employed in the soulless, hackneyed landscape that is reality television, I have to agree with Ronda here. Reality television producers are greasy-palmed, ghoulish characters who will use whatever editing tricks they need in order to fabricate drama, often out of thin air and with no regard to the integrity of the people they are portraying.

Take for instance, when Tate attempted to shake hands with Rousey following a victory in episode 7, only to have Rousey and Marina Shafir flip her the bird in response. Did you know that Rousey was actually giving her a thumbs up, and that those trickster TUF editors blurred it to make it *look* as if she was giving Tate the universal symbol for go fuck yourself? Or that the moment where Rousey defeated Tate in the coaches’ challenge and yelled “Fuck you, bitch!” while flipping her off was actually done using body doubles, 3D image scanners, and performance capture technology? Or that when, even after TUF had wrapped, the producers injected Rousey with a combination of horse tranquilizer and estrogen prior to her TUF 18 Finale interview to make her appear frigid and uninterested? Like I said, bastards all, those reality show producers are.

Which reminds me, has anyone been watching TUF 19? I know the rapport between BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar seemed respectful during the premiere, but I literally have not caught a second of the show since. That said, I really hope that one guy who’s struggling to support his wife and three kids wins this season. You know, the one with the tribal arm band and perpetual stubble who didn’t come to make any friends and never leaves it in the hands of the judges. Yeah, go that guy.

–J. Jones

Following Back-to-Back KO Losses, Martin Kampmann Announces His Hiatus From MMA


(What, and miss out on all the fun times like these?)

Earlier today, we learned how fighters like James Te Huna deal with a pair of tough losses, by dropping a weight class to save their career. Now, we bring you another increasingly popular solution amongst MMA fighters faced with temporary setbacks: The Hiatus.

That’s right, longtime UFC welterweight and one of the most exciting fighters in the sport’s history, Martin Kampmann, is taking an extended break from MMA. Having just celebrated his ten year anniversary as a professional, Kampmann told MMAJunkie radio that he needs some time to fully recover from the tough (T)KO losses he has suffered in his past two fights with Johny Hendricks and Carlos Condit, stating:

I’ve had a lot of tough fights, and even the ones I win, I sometimes make them tough for myself. I’m just taking a long break. No rush to get back in the cage. Let my body recover and get good.

I enjoy fighting, but I’ve just had my 10-year anniversary as a professional fighter. I feel a little burned out right now. That’s why I’m taking a break. I don’t want to get in there unless I feel like it. I love training, I love fighting, but I want to have the fire again to go in. If I don’t have the fire, then I think that means I need to take a break.

Personally, I feel the worst for Kampmann’s surgeon, who is definitely not going to be able to afford that four bedroom villa in the Palisades now that his most popular client has decided to stop visiting him every month or so. #1percentproblems


(What, and miss out on all the fun times like these?)

Earlier today, we learned how fighters like James Te Huna deal with a pair of tough losses, by dropping a weight class to save their career. Now, we bring you another increasingly popular solution amongst MMA fighters faced with temporary setbacks: The Hiatus.

That’s right, longtime UFC welterweight and one of the most exciting fighters in the sport’s history, Martin Kampmann, is taking an extended break from MMA. Having just celebrated his ten year anniversary as a professional, Kampmann told MMAJunkie radio that he needs some time to fully recover from the tough (T)KO losses he has suffered in his past two fights with Johny Hendricks and Carlos Condit, stating:

I’ve had a lot of tough fights, and even the ones I win, I sometimes make them tough for myself. I’m just taking a long break. No rush to get back in the cage. Let my body recover and get good.

I enjoy fighting, but I’ve just had my 10-year anniversary as a professional fighter. I feel a little burned out right now. That’s why I’m taking a break. I don’t want to get in there unless I feel like it. I love training, I love fighting, but I want to have the fire again to go in. If I don’t have the fire, then I think that means I need to take a break.

Personally, I feel the worst for Kampmann’s surgeon, who is definitely not going to be able to afford that four bedroom villa in the Palisades now that his most popular client has decided to stop visiting him every month or so. #1percentproblems

While we’ll surely miss Kampmann’s always entertaining presence in the octagon, it’s hard to fault him for his decision. It’s quite refreshing, to be honest. As of now, Kampmann’s record reads like a who’s who of the UFC welterweight division, with wins over the likes of Carlos Condit, Thiago Alves, and Jake Ellenberger and (bullshit) losses to Diego Sanchez and Jake Shields.

Scroll on down to relive some of Kampmann’s finest moments in the octagon before the UFC inevitably forces us to pull the footage.

First, we have an upbeat, take-on-all-comers Kampmann highlight set to some terrible, Spanish pop music.

Next, we have a reflective, restrained, “In Memoriam”-esque Kampmann highlight set to some slightly better pop music. My God, can’t any of you reel makers quit being such pussies and set one of these things to some DOWN? First they change the Thursday Night Football theme to this Bollywood bubble gum garbage and now we’re soundtracking fight compilations with songs you’d hear at your 13 year-old’s semi-formal. WHERE DOES IT END?!!

I’m sorry, this is about Kampmann. To the other highlight!

Enjoy the time off, Martin. Lord knows you’ve earned it.

–J. Jones