Tag: Interviews

Exclusive | Jade Jorand looking for titles in Karate Combat and the UFC

Jade JorandFrance’s Jade Jorand just earned an impactful debut in Karate Combat and is looking to collect organization gold in…

Jade Jorand

France’s Jade Jorand just earned an impactful debut in Karate Combat and is looking to collect organization gold in 2025. Speaking in an interview with LowKickMMA, ‘The Princess; outlines her past and also future goals.

Jade Jorand

Growing up, Jade Jorand tried every sport imaginable but simply did not excel in any of them. But she found her calling at the age of nine with kickboxing. She explained:

“It’s true! I did all kinds of dance and tennis, but I was so bad. My dad did kickboxing, so my parents had me try it when I was nine. They also wanted me to learn self-defense since I was starting middle school and taking the bus alone. At first, I was bad at that too and really scared. But two or three years later, my coach told me I was going to fight. I was like, “What? Me?” But I won, and after that, I wanted to keep winning.”

She collected European titles under both Muay Thai and K-1 kickboxing rules. The first professional match for ‘The Princess’ was under Bellator Kickboxing in which she won via incredible head kick knockout. Jade Jorand continued:

“It felt so great—it’s the best memory of my life. I was so stressed because making that fight happen was hard. She was a world champ with over 60 fights, and it was my debut. The French commission even had to write a letter saying I was capable of competing with her. Everyone was telling me, “Just do your best,” and I was like, “What are you talking about? I’m going to win this fight.” When I knocked her out, I felt amazing. It’s still the best memory of my life.”

Karate Combat

Earlier this year she jumped into Karate Combat and won her debut by first round finish. On December 19 at Katate Combat 51, Jade Jorand will take on Saba Nabavinejad in a title eliminator and the winner will fight for gold in 2025. The French striker is looking to take world titles in both Karate Combat and the UFC during her career.

“My dream is to be UFC world champion in the next few years. But for now, my smaller dream is to win the Karate Combat world title. I love fighting there, so I want to enjoy this time while training in jiu-jitsu and MMA. After that, I’ll go for the UFC for sure.”

Jade Jorand

Exclusive | Tuco Tokkos Says Bettors are Glazing Navajo Stirling: The ‘Level in America is Just Different’

Tuco TokkosUFC athlete Tuco Tokkos has been training at KillCliff FC in Florida USA for his upcoming match against the…

Tuco Tokkos

UFC athlete Tuco Tokkos has been training at KillCliff FC in Florida USA for his upcoming match against the highly touted Kiwi fighter Navajo Stirling. Tokkos is a heavy underdog coming into this match and discusses the stakes in an exclusive interview.

Tuco Tokkos

With a 60% knockout win rate, Tuco Tokkos is a heavy-handed striker who continues to improve in the octagon. With experience all around the globe, soon he will be fighting to prove himself in the UFC as he faces New Zealand’s Navajo Stirling on December 14. With a perfect 5-0 record and being a training partner of Israel Adesanya, Navajo Stirling is the major betting favorite coming in.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Danny Podolsky of LowKickMMA, Tuco Tokkos said:

“They’re glazing him. I mean, I think they’re looking at my last fight, which I took on three days’ notice, you know? But as well, that’s good. All the pressure’s on him, being a huge favorite. I don’t know why he’s a huge favorite. He’s got one legitimate knockout in his career. He’s a little younger than me.

“I know he trains with some great guys out there, but I think that level in America is just different. Like, we have NCAA wrestlers here. We have Olympic wrestlers coming into our gym, you know what I mean? We’ve got guys on the world teams. Guys from all over the world. I don’t know. He’s just training with, like, a smaller pool.”

See the full interview below:

Exclusive | ‘Winning or losing doesn’t matter—just do what you love’ Legend Lerdsila Discusses Muay Thai and Retirement – Karate Combat

Legend Lerdsila Discusses Muay Thai and Retirement - Karate CombatAfter more than 20 years and 200 professional bouts, the Muay Thai legend Lerdsila Chumpairtour is getting ready for…

Legend Lerdsila Discusses Muay Thai and Retirement - Karate Combat

After more than 20 years and 200 professional bouts, the Muay Thai legend Lerdsila Chumpairtour is getting ready for retirement but has one last match left in him. Lerdsila is set to fight on November 14 at Karate Combat: Kickback 3.

Muay Thai Legend Lerdsila

The icon of ‘The Art of Eight Limbs’ Lerdsila has had a tremendous career decorated with illustrious titles. The Thai-born athlete has picked up titles in WLF, WMC, and three Stadium crowns at Rajadamnern. His advice for the next generation of fighters is simple, do what you love. In an exclusive interview, he explained:

“Love Muay Thai, do your best, and fight with heart. Winning or losing doesn’t matter—just do what you love… This is my last fight—20 years in Muay Thai, and this will be the final one… It’s emotional. Muay Thai has been my life, but I’ll still be teaching and passing on the traditions to young fighters. I’ll keep training every day.”

Lerdsila translates to ‘Slippery Eel’ but to his evasive style. The Muay Thai striker is one of the most popular figures in Muay Thai history due to how incredibly skilled he is defensively.

At the Karate Combat Kickback 3 event, on November 14, he will be facing Russia’s Turach Novurov, who is a national Kickboxing world champion. The Thai-born athlete is not defensive about his sport and is happy to see Thailand’s national sport be popularized around the world, Lerdsila explained:

“I’m very happy about it. Fifteen or twenty years ago, Muay Thai was only popular in Thailand, but now it’s known worldwide.”

Turach Novurov Karate Combat Kickback 3 Lerdsila

Exclusive | ‘I’ll f***in batter him’ Paddy Pimblett Slams Colby Covington ‘Sucks Donald Trump to the a***’

Paddy Pimblett on Colby Covington and Donald TrumpChaos” Colby Covington has been called out for his Donald Trump worship by UFC star Paddy Pimblett. Speaking in…

Paddy Pimblett on Colby Covington and Donald Trump

Chaos” Colby Covington has been called out for his Donald Trump worship by UFC star Paddy Pimblett. Speaking in an exclusive interview with LowKickMMA and AceOdds, “The Baddy” did not mince words on his thoughts about Covington.

Paddy Pimblett on Colby Covington and Donald Trump

UFC welterweight Colby Covington has often taken photos with his idol Donald Trump when they are together at various golf courses. The US-born athlete has not been active in the octagon for some time as he asserts that he was campaigning with President-Elect Trump.

The next US President Donald Trump has long been a UFC and MMA fan. He even explained that his favorite fighters are Dustin Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Trump was vocally thankful for the support from UFC president Dana White.

Colby Covington Donald Trump
Colby Covington and Donald Trump at Country Club

The English-born UFC lightweight “The Baddy” Paddy Pimblett has noticed that Covington has been less active in the octagon and says that the American athlete should be embarrassed by his right-wing worship. In an exclusive interview with LowKickMMA, Pimblett explained:

“Colby Covington is a bad helmet. I’ll f***in punch Colby Carvington’s head. I will. I’m game to fight him. I’ll fight him at welterweight and I’ll f***in batter him.

“He’s probably talking all s**t in the video. He just sucks Donald Trump to the a***, doesn’t he? But I think he’s just doing that for publicity through Trump. Because he knows Trump’s going to be the president again. He’s just clinging on to Trump. Being a cling-on, when Trump doesn’t really care about him.“

Pimblett is a former two-division champion in Cage Warriors and has been on a six-fight win streak in the UFC.

'Probably his toughest test' Leon Edwards predicts Paddy Pimblett vs King Green

Exclusive | Zhilei Zhang Backs Mike Tyson’s Return, Calls Him a ‘God of War’ in Jake Paul Match

Zhilei Zhang Mike Tyson’ vs Jake Paul boxingThe southpaw heavyweight striker Zhilei Zhang grew up watching Mike Tyson’s legendary boxing career. Ahead of ‘Iron’ Mike’s boxing…

Zhilei Zhang Mike Tyson’ vs Jake Paul boxing

The southpaw heavyweight striker Zhilei Zhang grew up watching Mike Tyson’s legendary boxing career. Ahead of ‘Iron’ Mike’s boxing showdown with Jake Paul, ‘Big Bang’ Zhang has no doubt who he’s backing in this matchup. In an interview with LowKickMMA and AceOdds, the Chinese-born athlete discussed Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul.

Zhilei Zhang on Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul

Zhilei Zhang KO 2 Wilder

China’s Zhilei Zhang has collected illustrious across his career such as Olympic Medals and the WBO interim heavyweight strap. Currently, the 41-year-old is ranked in the top five in heavyweight boxing after his dominant knockout win against Deontay Wilder.

‘The Problem Child’ Jake Paul took his YouTube celebrity status and transitioned it into a lucrative boxing career dispatching former UFC fighters in the ring. ‘Iron’ Mike is a legendary heavyweight boxing figure who collected world titles in the 80s and 90s with his iconic knockout power.

Soon, Jake Paul and Tyson will face off in a professional boxing showdown on November 15, which can be watched live on Netflix.

Ahead of this matchup, Zhilei Zhang offered his prediction for Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson. He said:

“I know a lot of people have their own opinions on this fight and whether or not it should happen, but in my opinion, I watched Mike Tyson’s fights growing up and he’s like the god of war in my mind. Now in his 60s, he’s fighting with a guy in his 20s, which is an incredible achievement already when you’re losing. I really hope for the best for him and I wish him the best and good luck.”

Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul

After his KO win against Deontay Wilder, many heavyweights are not interested in facing the knockout power of ‘Big Bang’ Zhilei Zhang. But the top-five-ranked athlete is still seeking an opponent in the near future.

Exclusive | Zhilei Zhang on the Double-Edged Sword of Wilder KO – Heavyweights are Scared ‘They don’t want to fight me’

Zhilei Zhang of Wilder KO - Heavyweights are ScaredEarlier this year, China’s Zhilei Zhang scored a huge knockout win against the former boxing world champion Deontay Wilder,…

Zhilei Zhang of Wilder KO - Heavyweights are Scared

Earlier this year, China’s Zhilei Zhang scored a huge knockout win against the former boxing world champion Deontay Wilder, but now every heavyweight is scared to face him. ‘Big Bang’ Zhang spoke with LowKickMMA and AceOdds for an interview to discuss his most recent win.

Zhilei Zhang Knocks Out Deontay Wilder

As an amateur, the southpaw Zhilei Zhang won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and bronze medals at the 2007 and 2009 World Championships. As a professional, Zhang has compiled an impressive record of 27 wins with 22 of his victories coming by knockout. At a towering 6’6″ the former WBO interim heavyweight title holder packs serious power.

Despite suffering a loss to Joseph Parker in March 2024, Zhang bounced back with a notable victory over former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in June 2024. But now, back in the top five, after his major win, most other heavyweights at the top are too scared to face him. Speaking to him in an interview, Zhilei Zhang explained:

“It’s a double-edged sword. The good thing is after I lost to Parker in March, I was kind of out of the mix, but with the victory, I was back in the mix again. That’s the good thing about it. It put my career right back on track.

“The negative side is that after knocking out Wilder, people look at me like, he’s from another planet. They don’t want to fight me. They look at me like somebody they want to avoid at all costs. That puts me and my team in a difficult position in terms of looking for opponents and securing big fights. I really feel like the elite heavyweights should just come and face me and just let it be done.”

Zhilei Zhang KO 2 Wilder

Zhilei Zhang On His Future

‘Big Bang’ Zhilei Zhang is hoping maybe Riyadh Season with Saudi Arabia and Turki Alalshikh can make some choices to help move this heavyweight title picture along. He continued:

“I think it’s really smart for his excellency to put everything together. Obviously, we’re benefiting from it but at the same time, they are making fights that we would normally never get to see. They made a lot of fights that we can only dream about and this is really such a good thing.

“Also on the other side, Riyadh season is the big push behind everything, I think they made the whole world realise what a wonderful country Saudi Arabia is. People are looking at Saudi Arabia as the centre of professional boxing and of sports as well.”

The top-five-ranked Zhang has a close eye on the upcoming rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. He said that he would happily face either one, the Chinese-born athlete added:

“I’ll do it now. Without hesitation.”